


Senseless

by OldBearS (OldBearSoul), OldBearSoul



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 10:16:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24848161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldBearSoul/pseuds/OldBearS, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldBearSoul/pseuds/OldBearSoul
Summary: During a battle against the Dark Lord, Harry receives a spell trying to protect Severus. Everything indicate that there was no damage and that the spell failed: but it didn’t. Harry will lose his senses and all his faculties, he will stop tasting, smelling, listening, feeling and seeing, he will also stop talking and even stop breathing. In the end, Harry will become a shell and no one knows how to reverse it. While looking for a cure someone has to take care of him, and who is better than Severus Snape?
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Disaster

Chapter 1. Disaster.

That Sunday had been very peaceful, too much, Severus thought. But there was no reason to suspect that something bad would happen; and that was a big mistake.

When the school year started, the sevenths grade met with each other to plan something important — or at least important for 17 and 18 teens.— They managed to ask for special permission to have an “extra” outing to Hogsmade, because they were planning a kind of dance for Christmas before the holidays start and, although they were still in mid-October, they explained to the director that they needed to buy things in time because between exams and studies, time was what they least had.

Obviously Dumbledore happily accepted, the quirky old man was delighted with the idea of the dance-party his students were planning, and he understood why to buy certain things in advance. Even many of the Slytherins were excited by that dance and, in a way, they placed the differences they had with other houses to collaborate, and that made Albus more happy.

Seniors had lived through so many bad times thanks to Voldemort, and they had decided to spend their senior year as best they could and so, between Voldemort and exams, they might have something to remember. Obviously the followers of the dark lord who mostly belonged to the snakes were not so in agreement with that, but they were not going to intervene in something that would be done at school.

The plan was simple: two unforgettable dances, or at least they wanted them to be unforgettable. One would for Christmas, it would be a costume ball, but it had a bonus, it would be by theme.  
In groups they would dress up as what they liked best and they would represent it at the dance. Whoever did not want to participate in the theme could choose any costume, but many were already excited with the idea. Some were going to be a group of pirates, some girls from Hufflepuf would be Disney princesses, others would represent series or movies, even teachers could participate. It would not only be the costume, but also a small presentation, there was even talk of a contest and prizes.

The dance would include sixth graders as well, but only seventh graders were in the planning.

The second dance, which would be done before graduation, had the theme of "one night in paris", a much simpler and repeated idea, but that made the girls much more excited.

Dumbledore offered to help with the decorations, but the managers said it was something they wanted to do with each other, and Albus agreed.

So that Sunday, in mid-October, a group of seventh-year students went to Hogsmade accompanied by a forced Severus Snape. Most of the boys would buy their costume on 30th of that month, when they were all going out to Hogsmade, but the organizing committee had to go out early to buy the things they needed, and at the general outing they would buy their costume.

Of course that commission included part of the golden trio. Hermione Granger was one of the main organizers of the dance and Harry was excited to be involved in "normal" teenagers things like organizing a dance, and was helping a lot in the preparation. Ron was not too involved and although the outing was somewhat attractive, he decided to stay in the castle to "study", although everyone knew that he would only stay to sleep.

The commission that had come out was small: two Slytherins, three Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaw and four Gryffindors, and in view of that Dumbledore said that they only needed a teacher, and since Minerva was solving some issues outside of school and Lupin was weak because the day before it was a full moon, the director declared that Snape would be the ideal one to accompany the small group.

"You have more teachers," Snape had reluctantly said when the principal told him the news in his office.

“Yes, but in these times of war I don't want my children to be with someone who doesn't know how to act fast. And my other teachers are not as trained as you are.”

And Snape had to shut up and accept.

At least, the students who made up the commission understood that they should behave, and more when they were informed that it would be Snape who would go with them. And now he was watching the students from outside the stores. At first they all entered the same store together and he could see them from the doors, but then they started to separate as they saw different things that caught their attention and it was easier for him to stay outside even in the cold than it was that day.

Hermione looked at the list of things that were still missing, at least they were not so many, because the departure time was already running out. Harry saw her with a funny face, his friend was stressed only with the decoration of a dance.

“Blue or gray?” She asked as pointed to two decorating tapes.

"The gray one," he answered with no doubt, "combines better with the rest."

She agreed and took five rolls of tape while looking at the list. The others were taking care of other things, so I should ask them how their progress was going.

“Do you think Snape is suffering out there?” Harry asked out of nowhere looking through the shop window from where he could see the potion master's silhouette.

"Maybe," she giggled, "he didn't seem very happy to join us."

"I'd like to go out and talk to him for a moment."

Hermione saw him raising an eyebrow, she knew his friend's feelings towards the teacher and, although at first she told Harry all the cons he had, she knew that his friend had been through too much and had the right to be in love, although Snape would break his heart quickly if he found out about those feelings.

At least Harry and Snape had a kind of friendship-camaraderie that was born when the eldest had to give him private spell lessons from the sixth year. Between class and class and the knowledge that the eldest was a spy for Dumbledore, the hostility between them gave way to a friendly truce, and from there they began to have a certain camaraderie between them, the problem was that Harry fell in love.

He began to feel attracted by the clear intelligence of the older man, then by his voice, by the calm that being close to him conveyed. Then he just waited anxiously for the training sessions to see him and talk to him.

It was very hard to accept that he had fallen in love. He felt like a prisoner of that feeling and for the summer holidays he told his friends everything to blow off steam. Ron took it with clear displeasure and Hermione tried to explain the reasons why he should not fall in love with the teacher, among them the first is that it would not be reciprocated. But as the days passed and they saw in Harry a happiness and hope that he had not had since Sirius almost died and the nightmares became recurring, they understood that perhaps it was an escape from his friend from the cruel reality that he had to live, and they decided support it.

"You can't speak to him in front of everyone."

"I know," Harry sighed and looked down.

Hermione had a plan and approaching his ear so that no one else in the store would listen to them, she whispered something that made the other laugh and nod. Harry said he would be back in a second and left the store.

Snape saw him leave the store without Hermione and raised an eyebrow in doubt. Since they had arrived at Hogsmade those two had not separated at all. The boy gave him a quick look and walked to an old book store. It was more than obvious that he didn't need anything from that store for the party.

Snape saw the streets full of people coming and going, there was no danger nearby and it was most likely that would continue in that way, so he walked to the store Potter had entered and saw him reviewing one of the books of the shelf.

"I doubt very much that you will need a book on the various thicknesses of glassware in potions, Mr. Potter." He said when he read the title of what the other was reading.

Harry smiled when he heard it, it was a good idea to enter a place where clearly he would not need anything for Severus to follow him.

"You don't know if I want to dress up as a potion master." he replied, hiding his smile behind the book.

The store was empty, there was just a rather older man behind the counter who seemed to be reading, and he was too far away to listen to or care about them anyway.

“And you already bought your costume?” Snape asked with clear amusement, while keeping his face expressionless.

"Not yet," he lowered the book and gave the other a half smile, "I thought maybe I could wear one of your robes."

Snape was static for a second, which to his ears had sounded quite suggestive, too much indeed. Maybe he was just getting confused, although lately he'd heard Potter's words as if have double meanings, but they couldn't have, could they?

He was going to answer but the worst that could happen made an appearance: Death Eaters.

They heard screams from many people coming from the street and Severus knew what it was when the dark mark started to hurt.

"Stay here," he said to Harry and left the store.

Harry ignored him - as expected - and went after him.

It was a group of Death Eaters, five to be exact, with their faces uncovered attacking people. Severus only thought of two things: protect the students and not discover his facade. It was difficult indeed, but with the help of those who were attacking the Death Eaters he was able to cast spells without having to face them face to face. The problem was that they were strong and a few minutes later Voldemort arrived.

The boys had hidden in one of the stores along with a group of people, Severus had already activated a spelled pin that Dumbledore had given him for cases like that, but logically help would take time.

Three of the Death Eaters were dead, but Voldemort's arrival made matters even worse. The dark lord saw Snape emerge from an alley and mistakenly thought that the potion master had joined his Death Eaters to help them.

Harry was fighting, since they saw him he had become the target of the Death Eaters, but beside him was Hermione supporting him and two men who were protecting their hidden families.

"Apparently I don't have to wait much longer to eliminate you," Voldemort said and Harry stepped forward to confront him, leaving the others fighting the remaining Death Eaters.

Severus managed to look like he was fighting alongside the Death Eaters when he saw that Harry fighting against Voldemort, but it was not long before four more enemies arrived and the balance tipped to them.

Luckily reinforcements came from the light side, and among these was the director. As Severus struggled to control the Death Eaters and keep tabs on Harry, Harry and two aurors faced off against Voldemort. When the dark lord saw that perhaps he couldn't win that suicide fight, retreat while still cursing. Many of the infrastructures were being hit and they had to remove the people who were hiding because they were going to collapse. Snape attempted to bring the group of students to safety and did not see that, while in battle, Voldemort cast his last spell in his direction — because he wanted to hit Dumbledore who had approached to remove the students—. But Harry did see it and reacted in time. The lord had turned to disappear and did not see when Harry launched himself to protect the potions master taking the full impact of the spell.

After receiving the full impact on his chest, Harry passed out feeling Severus trying to pick him up and listening to Hermione screaming his name.

* * *

  
"Mr. Potter, can't you last more than two months without having to sleep in a nursing bed?"

Snape had seen Harry awaken slightly and felt relaxed at last, but that wasn't going to stop him from saying one of his usual sarcastic comments. Harry blinked several times until he got used to the light around him and tried to focus his gaze on the person on the side of his bed, he had recognized Severus' voice. He looked for his glasses that were on the side of the bed before answering.

"The more time I spend here the less I have to be in your class, Snape."

Snape raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but smile a little.

"Apparently the spell didn't hit you enough." The potion master clicked his tongue and Harry laughed.

Severus wanted to add something else but he felt the arrival of someone to the infirmary and changed his relaxed face for his usual mask. Madam Pomfrey entered accompanied by Albus Dumbledore.

Albus nodded at Severus, smiling slightly.

"The spell I placed on him warned me that young Potter had woken up," said the witch with a smile as she approached the bed, wasted no time and began to wave her wand over Potter checking him. “I had already checked you before and found nothing, this is just one last routine checkup.”

“Then can I just leave?”

She told him that he would have to stay until after noon, just to be sure, but that he didn't have to be in the infirmary for long.

"You won't miss your potion classes in the afternoon," Albus said in a happy tone.

Poppy didn't quite understand the double meaning and thought that Harry was worried about missing classes — it was his last year, so it was normal for him to worry about that — Severus snorted and Harry just pursed his lips trying not to laugh.

Harry had spent a full day sleeping. It was Monday when he woke up, and although Pomfrey said his analysis was fine everyone was concerned that he didn't wake up. Severus understood that he no longer needed to be concerned and said he was only there to see if the potions he had been provided with were working well, and since the boy was recovered, he would return to his classroom to prepare for the next class. When he walked out of the infirmary he found two Gryffindors facing him expectantly.

"He woke up," he said and continued on his way after seeing the happy faces on both of them. When he got to his classroom, he prepared to receive the Hufflepuf and Slytherins fifth-year, that day he had to go over a simple potion - at least in Severus' mind - so he wouldn't assume too much of his vigilance.

The students arrived, got into pairs and started working. As he paced back and forth across the tables he couldn't help but think of Harry. That stubborn Gryffindor who had received a spell the day before that went straight to Severus.

 _He shouldn't have protected me_ , Severus thought as he corrected a student how to cut an ingredient. _I don't understand why he did it._

Snape took a deep breath and decided to think about it. On Mondays at 8 he had scheduled training with Harry, the boy had been in the infirmary and they would not practice anything to rest him, but he would take advantage of the fact that he would go to his office to tell him not to risk his life like that again. They did not know the spell that had struck him, they did not even hear when Voldemort uttered it, and for a moment they feared that it was somewhat lethal. Potter shouldn't be putting on as a human shield so easily.


	2. The taste

Chapter 2. The taste.

When Hermione and Ron arrived at the infirmary after Severus left, the girl hugged him so tightly that she almost took all the air out of his body.

"Carefully Miss Granger," said Pomfrey, regarding her reproachfully, "Potter needs rest."

Dumbledore smiled and excused Hermione saying that it was obvious that they had been scared about Harry, and left the infirmary to give the friends a moment. Pomfrey walked to her own office saying they could stay a few minutes, but no more big hugs and Hermione blushed at what she had done.

"You gave us a good scare," Ron said as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Hermione couldn't help but hug him again and he had to convince her that he was really fine, the girl had been quite scared when she saw him fall after the spell hit him.

She then told him about how Voldemort had fled and the potions master carried him to safety. Harry couldn't help but feel happy knowing that and just wished he had been aware. He imagined what it would be like to be picked up by the mayor, clinging to his chest while the other held him tightly so as not to let him fall. Ron made a joke about what he had looked like as a princess in distress, but Harry didn't mind.

Pomfrey reappeared after a while saying that Harry had to eat and he would do it in the infirmary, and the other two who had to obey and go to the Great Hall.

Harry had been in the infirmary so many times that he used Pomfrey's "nutritious and proper meals", but he couldn't help but grimace when Madam Pomfrey put a tray of soup in front of him and warned him to if he didn't finish it, he couldn't get out of there. She left him alone to go to her office.

"And remember Potter," she said before closing the door, "I have the entire infirmary spellbound to keep track of my patients. If you don't eat it, throw it away or disappear it with a spell, I will know."

Harry sighed when he was alone, and just resigned to having to eat that soup. Among all the foods he liked least was the soup, he felt it was like drinking a salty juice using a spoon, but he hadn´t other choice.

He plunged the spoon into the cloudy liquid. He felt a slight tickle in his chest and scratched lightly. He raised the spoon and brought it to his mouth.

"It´s insipid" he said. Although perhaps Madam Pomfrey ordered it to be done on purpose.

He felt the tickle in his chest again, this time a stronger, and he scratched himself trying to placate him. _It is surely a loose thread in this nursing gown._

He finished the soup rather reluctantly, and more because he could hardly find any flavor, so he was quite happy when he finished. He did not comment on the taste of food to Madam Pomfrey, surely she would say something like "the food here must be nutritious, not delicious," so she just waited to be let out an hour later.

Before leaving the he received a visit from Lupin, the magician had not been able to see him before because he had been doing some assignments outside the school at the request of Dumbledore, but he sent him all the good wishes that Sirius could not give him in person for having to keep hidden. Remus stayed with him until he was discharged because at that time he had no classes to teach.

Harry was given a leave of absence - including potions - which he did not miss and lay on his bed to read a little. He had found great fascination a year and a half before for novels: romance, detective, horror, whatever. As a child — when he could, of course — he liked children's stories a lot, but as soon as he entered Hogwarts, between magic, classes and Voldemort, he didn't have much time to read. Until he had regained that habit with novels.

He was reading La Dame aux Camelias, if Hermione saw him she would surely tell him to start reading a class book, but he did not feel like studying at that time.

While reading, his chest bothered him a little again, but he tried to focus on the book and let it pass. When classes ended, Ron went up to the rooms to look for him accompanied by Hermione.

“Is there anyone else with you in the room?” She asked from the door, not daring to go in and find some of the half-naked boys.

"Everything clean," Harry replied, closing the book and straightening up on the bed.

They had searched for him to go to dinner together in the Great Hall. Harry thought about it, to tell the truth he wasn't too hungry even though he had only eaten soup at noon.

"I'll take a shower first," he said, remembering that after dinner he would go to Snape and he hadn't showered after the infirmary.

“Do you want to smell like roses for Snape? Ron said guessing his friend's thoughts.

Harry threw the pillow closest to him and jumped out of bed to go shower quickly. The girl said to go find something in her room and that they would meet in the common room. It didn't take Harry much time in the bathroom and Ron friend was still waiting for him.

"Hey," he caught his attention, "how are things going with Mione?"

Ron couldn't help but blush a little and put on a smirk. Harry laughed at that.

"Don't answer me, your face tells me everything."

Ron's smile gave a grimace of confusion when he saw Harry.

“What do you have on your chest?” he asked

Harry looked down trying to see where Ron was saying, he had long marks on his chest, but he thought it must be the marks of his nails from scratching.

"It must be my nails, I've been having itchiness."

“Do you have scabies or something?”

“Idiot. I don't know how Hermione puts up with you.”

Harry pulled on a T-shirt and pulled the robe over him. He used to wear T-shirts when training with Snape because it was more comfortable, and with the robe on, no one noticed them.

They went down to the Great Hall while Ron told him what had happened in the classes he had missed, he only told him the fun things, of the homework’s that they had left Hermione would take care of telling him later. They got a place in the middle of the table, saw Ginny a few seats away sitting very close to Neville, to which Ron could only wince.

The meal that night did not appeal too much to Harry and he assumed it was the ravages of having spent the day in the infirmary. But he had to eat anyway. A glass of juice and a small portion of mashed potatoes were served.

"Hey Harry," said Hermione, getting close enough to his ear for no one else to listen, "I think the S Code is looking at you."

Although they were always very careful when talking about Snape so that no one would listen to them, it was not very wise to be saying the teacher's name when they wanted to talk about him. Ron had proposed that they use a code phrase, they had proposed many things, Weasly even mentioned saying "bastard mission", which obviously the other two refused. Hermione proposed that they simply say "S Code", it was a simple thing and that no one would associate with Snape since they simply mentioned the S, Harry agreed and although Ron continued to insist that "Bastard Mission" or "Bat Code" were better, had to give in.

They used it every time they went to talk about the potions master, even when almost no one was around. Harry nodded and turned his head discreetly to glance askance at the faculty table, his movement not lasting long and indeed, Snape was looking at him.

“What are you talking about?” Ron asked in front of them, Harry leaned in to tell him.

Unlike Harry, Ron turned his head without discretion to see Severus.

"It's true," he said quietly over the table, "he's looking at you."

"You are stupid," Hermione said with a frown. "Why did you turn your head like the exorcist? You are supposed to hide.”

Ron's attitude had been very careless, surely Snape had realized that the golden trio was looking at him, but Harry couldn't help but laugh at Hermione's claim, especially since Ron didn't know was the "exorcist" meaning.

He took the glass of juice and took a drink.

"Ah, this is tasteless”

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked leaving Ron alone.

"The juice, it hardly tastes like anything."

Harry held out his glass and Hermione took a drink.

"It tastes like normal juice to me." She said.

Ron also took a drink from the same glass and agreed with his girlfriend: the juice tasted the same as ever.

"Try this one," Hermione said, handing Harry his own glass.

Harry drank, but still taste nothing.

"It's like I can't feel all the flavor, maybe my tongue is drowsy from the potions they gave me."

He tried the mashed potatoes and it didn't have much flavor for him either. Hermione searched the table and got chocolate pudding.

"Try this," she said, Harry listened to her and he could feel the chocolate flavor a little better, "it's because the flavor is stronger. While the things with your tongue is passing, eat things that have a strong flavor, and so you will not feel so bad.

Harry nodded, leaving the potatoes and juice behind, and began to eat the pudding. He was not very hungry anyway.


	3. It´s not a date

Chapter 3. It´s not a date.

After dinner, Harry stayed in the Great Hall talking to Hermione and Ron.

“So, what will you do with the S Code?” Ron asked in a low voice, even if there were no students around them.

"Nothing, I guess” Harry said seeing the teachers' table, Snape had left a while earlier. "I doubt that someone like him will notice a simple student like me."

"That's fine," Ron replied, nodding, "I'd be grossed out if you kissed."

Hermione glared at him as Harry's thoughts wandered into that kiss that will be so impossible to get from his teacher.

“What if you wait until the end of the year?” Hermione exclaimed. "You know, you can propose, if he says no, you won't see him again because you don't have to be in school, but if he says yes...”

"In the hypothetical case he say yes," Harry clarified.

"Well," she continued, "in the hypothetical case that he say yes, you can try and who knows? You can be a beautiful couple."

"If Voldemort leaves us alive by then," Harry whispered.

"Hey, I think Voldemort killing us is so much better than watching you kiss him," Ron said with a very serious face, and this time he received the angry look from both of them. "Sorry, sorry," he raised his hands asking for peace, "it's a personal opinion."

"Anyway, maybe he'll notice," Hermione added as she curled a finger through his hair, "according to what you tell me, you usually tell him a few hints that he won't take long to understand. Maybe he hasn't yet because he doesn't think it's possible that you're in love with him.”

Harry sighed at his friend's words, she was almost always right. But he couldn't help but make certain comments in front of the older man, or act more freely, he even struggled not to flirt openly as he had with other boys his age.

"Aren't you late for your date with the S Code?” Ron pulled them out of his thoughts.

"It's not a date," he replied, getting up from where he was.

"But you wish it was a date," replied his friend, and he couldn't deny anything.

"Leave him alone, Ron," Hermione was saying as she gave him a little push.

Harry said goodbye with a simple "see you later" and went straight to the dungeons as fast as he could without running to avoid sweating. He didn't want Snape to see him sweaty.

The way to the dungeons was always difficult for him. Perhaps it was the expectation of knowing that he would be an hour and a half close to Snape, seeing him, listening to him, being the center of attention of the teacher even if it was only for training.

"You're late, Potter," said the professor as soon as he opened the door for him and let him pass.

"Sorry, I...”

"Don't apologize, you've told me every possible excuse for being late."

Harry saw Snape's expression. I was relaxed and that meant that the teacher was not angry at his dalay, not much at least. Harry started to take off the robe and noticed that Snape didn't have the robe on, but he still hadn't rolled up his sleeves like he usually did when training.

“What are we going to do today?”

"You came out of the infirmary this afternoon," he said crossing his arms as he leaned against the desk, "I will not put you to practice any spells or make any effort."

Harry looked at him for a second, he wanted them to train, if they didn't he would have to go to his common room obviously, because Snape wouldn't waste time doing anything with him.

"But I'm fine."

The other raised his eyebrows, Harry had sounded like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Are you contradicting my instructions, Mr. Potter?”

“Harry”

“What?”

"I told you can tell me Harry when no one is here." He shrugged at the other's gaze. "you let me tell you only Snape when I'm here."

"And I regret" he said, but clearly he was mocking the younger, "could you better sit down and explain why you had dinner with a chocolate pudding and not something more nutritious."

“Are you spying on me?” Harry asked, unable to help but smile. He did not know to what extent or could not be a lack of respect for the other what he said or how he said it, but sometimes he let himself be carried away.

"Just answer," Snape said, sitting fully on the desk. “You had just come out of the infirmary, you was supposed to be smarter.”

The way Snape was sitting at that desk, with his elbows resting on his legs and staring at him, without his robe on and with that black shirt that fit him so well, was torture for Harry because he could not avoid staring at him like a fool.

"The other things didn't taste good," he said, forcing himself to pay attention to the conversation and not to the figure of his teacher, and under the other's gaze he explained himself better, "maybe some potion of the ones you gave me put my tongue to sleep, like the hangover potion that makes anything you eat afterwards tasteless, because in the infirmary Madam Pomfrey gave me a soup and had no flavor for me, and at dinner nothing I served tasted the same to me. The pudding, as it has a strong flavor, was more regular and I could taste it more than other things.

Snape frowned at the other's history.

"No potion Pomfrey or I gave to you causes that."

“Oh no? Maybe I'm getting a cold, when that happens things taste bad to me too.”

Without saying a word Snape got down from the desk and shortening the distance that separated him from Harry, placed the back of his hand on the boy's forehead.

"You don't seem to have fever."

Snape didn't know what that did to his student, because if he did, he wouldn't do that. Harry stopped breathing for a moment, feeling the closeness of the other, his hand on his forehead. He was so close to Severus that he could clearly see all the other's features, the smell of Snape flooded his nose, the teacher did not smell of herbs and mint - the characteristic smell that potions left him - he had a milder smell, but that was quite nice indeed. Being so close to him quickened his pulse, and the older noticed that.

“Are you okay Potter?”

Harry didn't need to answer, because for good or bad luck, the dark mark began to hurt on the older man's arm. Snape grabbed his arm, not understanding the call. The day before, after the attack, Voldemort had summoned them all to get even with his subjects, luckily Severus didn´t received punishment.

"The next lesson is for Wednesday," he said and led Harry out of the room.

* * *

He was sad, he couldn't deny it. Sad because he hardly had time to be with Snape, and equally worried that something would happen to the man in that meeting with Voldemort. Unfortunately he couldn't stay out the door waiting for him, he didn't even have the confidence enough to see the man when he arrived from one of those missions.

"I just hope nothing bad happens."

He would like to have the confidence of being able to call the man for him first name, but that seemed as far away as get a kiss from him. At least he had the small consolation of receiving some manifestations of Snape's concern.

The common room was full of seniors, some studying and others planning with great excitement what they would use to dress up. Ron and Hermione were in one of the armchairs next to Seamus and Dean. The last two were eager to reenact a Muggle film Men in Black with sunglasses and weapons — false of course.

Harry greeted them with a smile that did not reach his eyes and went directly to his room, he did not feel like talking. His friends saw him and knew immediately that something bad had happened, they wanted to talk to him but they knew that Neville was in the room and they would have no privacy for the S code.

"Harry," Neville greeted as soon as he saw him enter the room.

Longbottom was in his bed studying Herbology, according to the books he had.

“Do you already have your costume? Because everyone is down deciding.”

Neville smiled a little and his cheeks colored.

"I'll make a couple costume with Ginny."

"Oh, I didn't know you guys...”

“No. Well, not yet.” Neville scratched his head as he organized his ideas. "I'm waiting for her to say yes, but I think things are going very well for now. And you? Why aren't you down with the others?”

"I have a headache," he said, although it wasn't true, "I want to sleep early."

Neville nodded as Harry climbed into his bed and closed the curtains. He placed a spell to have some light to read. He took _La Dame aux Camellias_ and continued from the page where he had stayed. He didn't notice when he fell asleep.

He had a strange dream, usually he used to have nightmares that woke him up screaming in the middle of the night, that's why both Ron and He had found a spell that silenced the space of their beds but that allowed the redhead to know when Harry woke up from a bad dream. Harry didn't want to bother Ron like that, but it was almost an obligation on the redhead and Hermione, both of whom said they wouldn't let him have a bad time alone. When that happened Ron would go to Harry's bed and stay with him for a while and then go back to his own bed. They used to even wear the invisibility cloak so that none of their friends would see them move from one bed to another.

But this time it wasn't one of those dreams that made him wake up screaming and alerting Ron, it was rather a very strange dream. He was lying in a beautiful field surrounded by flowers, the sky was gray threatening to rain soon. Beside him was a man who looked very much like Snape but could not quite make out his face. The man hugged him around the waist and Harry settled his head on the other's chest. The perfume of his companion reached his nose and he could almost swear that it smelled just like Snape. The other's black hair caressed his face as the breeze enveloped them and Harry felt it all so real...

Until he heard his name, but it wasn't the voice of his teacher.

"Harry," said a voice he recognized as Ron's, and it took him a second to realize his friend was getting into his bed. "Are you awake?"

“What do you think?” He asked reluctantly, adjusting his crooked glasses. “What are you doing in my bed?”

"Shh," Ron said as he pulled out his wand and placed a spell, Harry knew it was so that no one could hear them and that no one could open the curtains. “It´s ok now. Hermione and I were concerned to hear what happened to you and she sent me to speak to you.”

“What time is it?”

“Half past one.”

“Did she send you to wake me up at half past one?”

"Well," he said scratching the back of his neck, "we went to her room to kiss each other because her classmates were in the common room and, I think we lost count of time."

Harry was amazed by Hermione's actions, in truth that love changed people.

"But anyway," continued his friend, "she was afraid it was something very serious and you had a nightmare."

"Now that I'm awake I assure you I won't have it." He said with a grimace. His tongue felt heavy inside his mouth and he guessed he was just thirsty.

"Come on Harry, I'm sorry." Ron looked truly sorry for waking him up, but rather than annoying, he and Hermione were genuinely concerned about their friend. "What did S Code to you?"

"He didn't do anything to me," he sighed, adjusting his head on the pillow, his face was so pitiful, Ron didn't believe that the potions master had done anything wrong to him “he just cared about me. He saw that I had almost no dinner and asked me.”

"That's good, isn't it? I worry about Hermione when she doesn't eat because I know she's stressed out or something, if he noticed that, he must like you,” he try to smile to cheer his friend up, but he couldn't, "I suppose.”

“I don't think so," the movement of his tongue when speaking was heavy, "maybe it's just the fact that he's obligated to protect me, but anyway. He ended up telling me that the potions I took do not cause me to lose the ability to taste and I told him that maybe I was getting sick and then he came very close to me to see if I had a fever. I got nervous, I was so close and there was nothing I could do. And then…

“What happened?”

"He was called by Voldemort."

Ron winced at the Lord's name.

"He'll be fine," he said, guessing part of his friend's decline: he was worried.

He watched as Harry rubbed his chest lightly but didn't care when the other continued talking.

“When he goes to those missions he always comes back beaten, or almost always. I know this from the training sessions we have, it is notorious that if the day before he was called by the Dark Lord, he cannot move with the same agility.

Ron leaned to Harry's side, sharing the pillow. He was thinking what he could do to help his friend, he knew that if Hermione were in that situation, the girl would have the right words to reassure the other, she always had the right words for everything, unlike Ron. But Ron wouldn't stop helping his friend, so he raised his hand and pinched Harry's shoulder hard.

“Why did you do that?” he yelled, pulling away from his hand in the little space left on the bed. It was fortunate that Ron put the silence spell, because if not all his roommates would have woken up to his scream.

"I once read, or heard, I don't remember, that physical pain helps replace emotional pain," he said as if he had done nothing wrong.

Harry ran his hand over where his friend had pinched him.

"Idiot," was all he could think to say.

Ron was laughing, but for a moment he remembered something his friend had said.

"If it wasn't the potion, why couldn't you taste anything? You don't seem sick.”

Harry seemed to think about it for a second.

"I don't know, maybe Madam Pomfrey gave me something extra that Professor Snape ...

"S Code." he interrupted.

Harry rolled his eyes and corrected himself.

"The S code doesn't know. Tomorrow I will surely be better.”

They talked for a while longer, but this time not about the S code. Ron's idea had been to go to his own bed and sleep, but neither of them realized when they fell asleep.


	4. Are you a couple?

Chapter 4. Are you a couple?

Seamus was the first to wake up. He rubbed his eyes calmly and thought to get up to go to the bathroom, at that someone knocked on the door. The beatings were quite rough and followed, they even woke up Dean before Seamus could open and see who was in the other side.

“Did you kiss May?!” asked a sixth year boy with pajamas on and a clear angry look. His eyes were focused on Dean's bed.

“What are you talking about?” Thomas replied, still sleepy.

"You kissed May, son of a bitch." The boy pointed a finger at Dean and enter into the room.

Dean and the boy started arguing raising the tone of voice waking up Neville in the process and shooing all Seamus dream. Ron also woke up, he used to be a light sleeper accustomed to being aware of his external environment. He had lived so long with the twins that he knew that sleeping too deeply could make him an easy target for jokes. Plus, the spell he had placed was so that outsiders couldn't hear anything from inside the curtains, but they clearly hear what the others were saying outside.

He rubbed his eyes and tried to understand what was happening, clearly there were people fighting in his room and they were saying something about such a girl called May, a kiss and that someone was a son of a bitch and a bad friend. Even with the dream, he sent himself and took the curtains to open them.

“What's happening?” he exclaimed, having forgotten he wasn't in his bed.

The boys present stared at him for a second and then an indecipherable expression filled each other's face. At the door there were also two boys, one seventh and one sixth, who were on the lookout for the fight. So in total six pairs of eyes fixed very well on something: Ron was in the same bed as Harry.

"Shit," said one of the boys at the door, "I knew they were a couple."

* * *

The news runs quickly, and before breakfast all Gryffindor knew about the incident. The other houses found out over the course of the day. Trying to explain to his classmates why he was in Harry's bed was difficult, on the one hand, he would not admit that he comforted his friend because he was sad because of an impossible love or because he used to have nightmares and needed support, on the other hand, almost nobody believed him .

Harry felt terrible when he woke up to the noise of his room and saw Ron trying to convince the boys that they had only fallen asleep while talking. The "three" intruders left without hearing many words and began to spread everything quickly.

Harry felt really bad, not only was Ron heterosexual, but he was one of the people who bothered a lot when someone doubted about his sexuality, Harry knew it and he had always respected that as well as his friend respected when he said that he was gay.

While Seamus, Dean, and Neville were trying to believe them, they would logically not share such gossip throughout the school, but there was no way to stop the other three.

Hermione was awakened by one of her classmates with the news that her boyfriend had just been discovered with his best friend having sex, and the girl could only open her eyes wide.

And there they were now, the golden trio — with Hermione informed of how things had happened — were trying to go down to breakfast amid the prying eyes of some of their housemates.

"They're literally a threesome," Lavander said when they passed him in the common room, "a sexual threesome."

Hermione wanted to hit Brown's face, but Harry stopped her and they ended up leaving the Gryffindor room. They ate breakfast between prying eyes of the students. Many knew about Hermione and Ron's relationship, so gossip was of different kinds. Some said that Ron was cheating on the girl with Harry and she did not want to believe the true; others said that Hermione was just a cover for the redhead and that he was gay and Potter's partner; others said that the three of them had a polyamorous relationship, that it was a love triangle where both Harry and Hermione fought for Ron's love...

Everything that could be invented about them, they did in that little breakfast time. Ron and Hermione were more than mad at those who looked at them and whispered some rumors, and Harry only had his head down. All this had been his fault, because of his great weakness, his friends took too much care of him and had gotten him into this problem. Also, his chest kept bothering him, now it was a small burning that wouldn't go away, and he still couldn't taste anything good. Before at least he could feel the strong flavors, now absolutely everything tasted like wet earth or something more unpleasant that he could not decipher.

He looked up a little to see the teachers' table, there was Snape and he was looking at him without hiding too much. He had an indecipherable look that didn't sit well with Harry without knowing why.

He pushed his plate a little, not wanting to continue eating, the horrible taste in his mouth every time he chewed was making him nauseous. The three left the Great Hall as soon as Ron finished eating, they would wait for their classes in a place without so many curious glances and whispers.

Maybe they weren't whispering as much as in the Great Hall, but the gazes were clearly there. In class they followed the hypotheses about their strange relationship. Many even began to offend Harry when another hypothesis arose and in this Harry was accused of trying to break the "beautiful" relationship that his friends had out of jealousy to be ignored.

By the dinner time came, not only did each student know, teachers had heard every rumor said and what had happened that morning in the Gryffindor room, and none of the three friends could move freely without receiving a glance or comment.

Also the rumors were mixed about what had happened in the morning. Many commented that Harry and Ron had directly been found having sex in Harry's bed, others said that Ron opened the curtains only in boxers - which was not at all true -, or that they were seen kissing through the curtains. Harry was pretty sure of something, between his dull tongue and his difficulty tasting, the burning in his chest and the rumors that had been a shitty day.

* * *

Severus tried to correct the essay in front of him but was having a hard time concentrating. He no longer had classes for that day and since he was missing time for dinner in the Great Hall, he decided to take advantage of his time and correct the garbage of answers from the fifth year students.

He reread what he was correcting and realized that almost everything was wrong.

"They don't pay any attention," he released into the air.

He wasn't very upbeat, his mind was more focused on the topic that had been hanging around at Hogwarts all day.

Not only had he been shocked to learn that Harry was gay, but there was also the fact that he had a relationship with Ron Weasly, or so it seemed at least. Of all the rumors and assumptions he had heard in the hallways throughout the day, the most credible to him was that Potter and Weasly were a couple and Granger was just a redhead cover. He couldn't believe at all that the three of them had a relationship with each other - or at least he didn't want to believe it - much less that Harry wanted to break the relationship of his friends.

"Harry isn't like that," he released into the air.

But did he really know what Harry was like? He couldn't deny, even if he found it hard to admit, that since he started training Harry things had changed between them. They got along? At least when they were alone. They were still Professor Snape and Potter in front of the others, with all that that implied, but inside the training room it was just Snape and Harry.

It had been many times that after training, the boy stayed with the teacher to talk. At first they were talking about more spells or fighting moves, but in the past few weeks they had gone on to talk about even more trivial things and Severus had to admit, even though it hurt his soul to say so, that he was beginning to grow fond of the boy.

"Merlin punish me."

He looked at the essay again, finding an error he hadn't highlighted. He put it aside and rested his face in his hands trying to understand himself.

He was annoyed by the rumors that were around. Why? It was for various reasons. The first: In one of those conversations Severus had told Harry that he was gay. He had mentioned it to answer a question from the minor that indirectly had to do with his sexuality, and in a way it bothered him that he did not have the same confidence in telling him that he was also gay.

"Don't be stupid, Severus," he said to himself, "a student doesn't have to tell you his sexual preferences."

He didn't, but Severus would have liked Harry tell him.

Point number two: he disliked the fact that he believed — or knew — that Harry was Weasly's partner. Rather, for some reason he disliked the fact that he believed — or knew — that Potter had a partner. It was like a thorn in his head that bothered him every time he thought about it.

Point number three: he hated, hated to be discovered because they found them in the same bed. Maybe they hadn't been found having sex — and Severus hoped it wasn't — but all the rumors had one thing in common: the two had been discovered because they were in the same bed.

"Damn it," he said, hitting the table with his fists.

He was going to go crazy.

But why was he so upset? Harry didn't have to be accountable to anyone. The Gryffindor was a young boy, who could be with whoever he wanted and do what he wanted with his body.

Harry's body...

Before committing the sin of thinking about a student's body, Severus attempted to continue correcting the essays. At least the next one he took from the stack was much better than the previous one, it had more structure and fewer errors.

* * *

The next morning the director called him into his office quite early. When he arrived, he found that McGonagall and Remus were already sitting across from Dumbledore while they were having tea. The teacher said good morning and Severus replied with a nod, he did the same with Remus. When he sat down, Albus offered him a drink and his usual lemon candies, Snape declined both.

McGonagall had requested the meeting because of the situation the day before. She had realized that the golden trio was being the target of very strong jokes by the entire school and the students just wanted to be talking about it between classes. She feared that the situation would not be over and would be repeated that day as well. Even Severus was in the meeting at Minerva's request, the Slytherins were the ones making the heaviest jokes about the relationship of those three and they weren't letting the others focus in class.

Dumbledore adjusted his crescent glasses as he looked at his three teachers. It was a difficult situation indeed, but they couldn't just make an announcement in the great dining room that the rumors would stop, that sort of thing used to increase them even more. There was also the fact that, although he didn't want to be an old pick, he knew the relationship Ron and Hermione had, having seen them come and go holding hands, and it seemed impossible to believe that Harry had gotten between them.

He proceeded to clear his throat and they began to discuss the points that as teachers they could use to avoid or at least lessen what was happening.

* * *

Harry tied his letter to the owl's leg, stroking it before letting it go. He had gotten up very early to send that letter. On Saturday Sirius had sent him a letter asking how he was and a package of chocolates. He had missed answering it and decided not to make him wait any longer. It was already Wednesday, so he wrote recounting everything that had happened including Voldemort's attack — something he surely already knew from Lupin— and, although he didn't want to, he explained in detail the problem he had about his supposed relationship with Ron.

When he didn't tell his godfather things and he found out about it from Lupin, Sirius used to do a drama about how little trust Harry had in him, and it wasn't true. Harry trusted Sirius more than anyone, but he didn't like to bother him with so many dramas surrounding his life.

He rubbed his chest feeling the discomfort again, that morning when he dressed he had seen that he had the red marks from before - three to be exact - more noticeable and red, and even believing that he had done it himself with his nails he decided to stop scratching.

He saw Hedwig fly away and left the owlery to accompany his friends to breakfast.


	5. The symbol

Chapter 5. The symbol

"They are stupid," Hermione said, because they were still the center of attention that morning. Harry had caught up with them in the Great Hall after sending Sirius the letter. The girl took a bowl of oatmeal and prepared to eat.

Ron growled something that seemed like an affirmation as he eated his own breakfast. Harry looked at them both, neither of them seemed upset with him, they were just upset with the others. Harry thought that anyone else would have walked away from him, no one in his right mind would stand to be friends with someone who caused so much drama and trouble.

From the Gryffindor table, only Ginny, Seamus, Neville and Dean sat close to them and tried to have a fluid conversation away from that topic. Ron looked with some disgust that his sister and Neville were sitting close together, but he avoided the comments surely threatened by Hermione, although he would surely explode at some point alleging ridiculous things like that his sister was too young to have a boyfriend.

After them, many of his housemates followed with the ridiculousness of the malicious comments, many of which reached his ears. The Ravenclaws, for the most part, were oblivious to these jokes, though not all. The Hufflepuffs were half and half. In the case of the Slytherins they were malicious glances and hurtful comments every time they passed near them.

He tried to forget about that and reached out to reach for a slice of mash potato wishing that he could eat with ease, but when he brought the spoon to his mouth, he felt nothing. It was not like the other meals where he could slightly taste the food, or it felt pasty and bad-tasting, this time it didn't taste like anything. As if it were covering the nose when chewing an ice cube. He tried a glass of juice and a chocolate pudding, nothing.

He tried the bacon on the side, and nothing. He decided to take the sugar bowl and put a spoon full of sugar in his mouth, nothing. Without understanding, he took the salt shaker and under the confused sight of his friends, he poured salt on a spoon and brought it to his mouth, absolutely nothing.

"That is disgusting," said Ron when he saw him eat the salt.

“What's wrong Harry?” Hermione asked, concerned about her friend's mental health.

They tried not to get the attention of their classmates, but luckily Dean and Seamus were deep in a discussion about Quidditch while Neville and Ginny tried to calm them down.

"The food," he furrowed his brows without understanding, "tastes nothing to me."

“Still unable to taste?” Hermione asked.

"No, no, it's different. I don't feel anything, no matter how strong it is.”

“Did you try something bitter?” Ron asked and handed him a cup of unsweetened coffee. "Take this."

Harry took a drink. Nothing.

That couldn't be only a flu, even he didn't even feel bad.

"You should go see Madam Pomfrey."

Harry hated going to the infirmary, and hardly ever went on his own, but that was strange. It was better to go just in case it was some very strong virus or something like that, besides, not being able to taste anything was becoming frustrating.

He got up from his seat to go without wasting much time.

“Do you want us go with you?” Hermione asked.

He denied with his head.

"See you in divination," he said, and walked to the door.

He was thinking about he would take the opportunity to ask Poppy to give him some ointment for his chest. It was because he was so focused on what was happening to his tongue and his chest that he did not notice that while he was leaving, Severus and Remus were entering the Great Hall, he did not even greet them.

“What happened to him?” Remus asked aloud, although he did not expect an answer from his companion. “He had a worried face.”

Severus noticed but didn't comment, finished walking to his table and set about to get Potter out of his thoughts.

* * *

"Mr. Potter, it is rare that you come here on your own feet."

Poppy saw him almost amused thinking about the times that the Gryffindor complained about having to be in the infirmary, Harry swung from foot to foot thinking that almost every time he arrived at the infirmary he was unconscious or dying of some spell.

"I have a kind of problem." He said simply.

Poppy looked at him closely.

“What problem?”

"I can't taste anything." The woman looked at him puzzled and he proceeded to explain more. "When I was here, the food was tasteless to me, but now nothing just tastes of me. At first I thought it might be the effect of some potion.”

"None of the potions I give to you have that effect."

Harry nodded without mentioning that Professor Snape had already told him the same thing.

"I think it may be the start of some flu or something."

"You wouldn't be here for a simple flu." Poppy said with a mocking.

“It's kind of frustrating not being able to taste, I don't even have a stuffy nose and it's even worse to smell the food and not be able to taste it. Also I came for something extra, maybe you can give me an ointment to reduce the pain.”

Pomfrey quickly changed his derision, a pain was more serious.

“It hurts something?”

Harry denied, he didn't want it to sound so bad.

“I had a slight itch on my chest, maybe I hurt me with my nails, but I think it's nothing.

Pomfrey motioned for him to get on the stretcher and Harry obeyed her. The witch took her wand and started a general scan on the boy.

"You don't seem to have anything," she said, lowering his wand, "lift your shirt."

Pomfrey had seen him so many times without clothes that Harry shouldn't be ashamed, but he always did. Still he went on to obey her.

He didn't like Poppy's reaction at all. The witch was surprised at the marks on his chest and proceeded to retain her wand in that area.

"That doesn't look like nail marks."

Harry didn't understand what she meant and looked down to try to see the marks. They had changed a lot to how they were in the morning before going to the owl, they looked wider and more marked, and it even seemed that it would suddenly bleed through them. In addition, what was strangest, is that it was noticeable that a third mark in the shape of a double circle began to surround the other three that were only a few lines. It was logical that this circular had not been done with his fingernails

"They weren't like this this morning," he said confused. “and there wasn´t a double circle.”

“Do you have any other symptoms that you haven't told me?” Asked the witch, "or some other mark?"

Harry denied, he had nothing else, at least that he knew.

Poppy pursed her lips, she was too smart to forget that Harry had been attacked on Sunday for Voldemort´s spell, although his analyzes showed nothing, he could not rule out that it was some remnant of dark magic, that kind of symbol that was forming in Harry's chest, where the lines hollowed through the skin, she had seen many times when dark magic was involved.

"I'll call Dumbledore," she said, and gave Harry no time to protest.

* * *

  
It didn't take Dumbledore two minutes to get to the infirmary. He used to be pretty quick when Poppy called him because he knew it was very important if the capable witch asked for his help, but he didn't help thinking that maybe it was something more serious than he thought when he saw Harry sitting on one of the beds and Poppy at his side checking him carefully. The witch quickly proceeded to tell him everything Harry had said to her and to show him the markings on his chest.

Dumbledore had to adjust his glasses to get a better look. Harry was uncomfortable knowing that he was again subject to a thorough search. Even though the checks showed nothing, Dumbledore was sure that the marks were being formed by Voldemort's spell, but he didn't recognize the symbol that was forming, nor did he know if what Poppy had told him about Harry losing the ability to savor was related or not.

The headmaster straightened, staring at his student, he needed to investigate more about what that was, they hadn't even heard Voldemort utter any spells and it would be quite difficult to know what it was all about. At the moment, he could immediately call Remus Lupin, who was his defense against the dark arts teacher and perhaps have an idea of what it was all about. He would also call Severus, the man knows a lot of dark magic and knew many spells that could leave symbols on the skin.

* * *

Hermione was just waiting for Ron to finish his juice to get out of there. She had tried to ignore Lavander's malicious comments, but mentally noted that she would put a frog on the stupid girl´s bed. Ginny had tried to distract her with a few comments, but that didn't stop her urge to cast a spell from diminishing. She was standing up when she saw Poppy enter the Great Hall. The witch seemed calm, but her gait was a little faster than usual. Hermione paid attention to her remembering that her friend should be in the hospital wing.

"Didn't Harry say he was going with Madam Pomfrey?" Ron asked low enough that only Hermione would listen, echoing her thoughts.

  
The girl did not answer him as she looked at the witch who was going directly to the teacher's table and faced Professor Remus Lupin and Severus Snape. Pomfrey said something to both men, it seemed to be serious because Snape frowned and Lupin seemed to ask her something worried. McGonagall, who was next to the men, also seemed to ask the witch something, but Pomfrey denied and perhaps — because from that distance Hermione heard nothing — said something that calmed them down a bit.

Both Snape and Lupin got up to follow the witch who had turned around, the three of them were going to leave the Great Hall and Hermione knew perfectly well that they were going to the hospital wing. When they passed the level they were in, Remus couldn't help but stare at the young Gryffindor for a moment and, before his gaze gave him away, he turned his head again and continued on his way until he disappeared through the double doors.

"It's about Harry, right?" Ron asked without waiting for an answer from his girlfriend.

They were both wishing it was all a coincidence, that Harry was no longer in the infirmary, or that the call from both men was not about something related to his friend, but it was very hard to believe.

* * *

As he walked down the path to the hospital wing Severus wondered what it might be. Pomfrey had only told him that Dumbledore required them for something Potter-related, and nothing good would have been if he involved the Gryffindor.

The director gave them a short nod and proceeded to explain what was happening, placing special emphasis on the strange marks on the boy's chest.

For his part, Harry looked quite uncomfortable, while Dumbledore told the two newcomers what was happening and that he wanted an opinion about it, Snape kept giving him fleeting glances without losing the thread of what the director was talking about. It was almost unnoticed, but Harry noticed that he couldn't take his eyes off his master.

Having to go through an observation again was a new ordeal, but it was necessary. Remus and Severus' gaze on the symbol, which seemed to evolve faster, was indecipherable. Now it wasn't just the three lines surrounded by a double circle, just a little below it you could see the shape of a cross that was emerging just like the other marks had started.

If only they knew which spell Voldemort had used, but it was hard to tell. Voldemort was even more furious than ever, thinking that his spell towards the director had failed, and that was why he had called two meetings in a row to retaliate his fury with the Death Eaters. But Severus thought it had been something to hit the older wizard with, not that it would be such dark magic.

Remus interrupted everyone's thoughts.

"I think I've seen that symbol before."

“Do you know what spell it is?” Albus asked, staring at him.

"I'm not sure," he said with a grimace, not wanting to admit his fear at all, "it even seems that it's still incomplete, as we were told he didn't have the crosses before."

“And you think you can find out?”

Remus nodded.

"I know how to find out."

For the moment they would wait for Remus to come up with the answer and would keep a watch on the boy for any changes that might happen. Remus warned them that it might take him a while to find out, maybe at night, and Dumbledore nodded understanding. Dumbledore let him out of the infirmary, warning him that if he felt anything strange, anything, he would seek out one of the four immediately. Harry nodded feeling like a little boy and left the hospital wing.

His friends couldn't ask anything between classes, but they didn't miss the opportunity when it was time for lunch. Ron protested the fact that they couldn't speak in the Great Hall and that they would miss the food, but Hermione looked at him with warning and the redhead fell silent.

“What happened?”

They had gone out to the gardens to have a moment of privacy, they thought they could go up to the boys' room and talk with calm and comfort, but since the rumors were there, they did not want anyone to see the three of them enter a room.

He could only say a few things to them because the peace ended when someone approached them to disturb them.

"There are the golden trio," Draco's voice echoed, and he came with two of his faithful bodyguards.

"Get out of here Malfoy," Ron said annoyed.

“Do you want privacy to do your perversions out here?” Draco asked. "Is that how you get Granger to do your homework? Do you paid her with sex?

"You're dead, idiot!" Ron shouted, standing up, he was not going to allow anyone to insult his girlfriend in his face.

The wands peeked out and they were all ready to start a spell war, so the presence of Severus Snape made things worse

"Mr. Malfoy," he said with a serious gesture, "I remind you that the type of comments you have made are also punished by the rules of this school. So you will be detained tonight with Mr. Filch.” The face of Draco and his bodyguards was quite a poem, it was seen that he wanted to protest but before he could do it Snape gave him a warning look and kept talking “And for you” he turned to the Gryffindors “trying to attack a student with spells will subtract ten points, Weasly”

“But he started!” Ron complained.

"I'm not interested in your excuses. Now everyone go back to the castle.”

Harry felt the strange look Snape gave him for a moment, but he didn't think about it too much and obeyed his teacher's order. The Gryffindors decided that they would speak in the Great Hall, even if they had to sit in a corner away from the others and speak in key words.

"It's stupid that he take points off of me," said Ron as he poured himself onto his plate, "when it was Draco who started."

"Look at the good side, Ron," Hermione exclaimed, "he give Draco a punishment. That is something that you can rarely see.”

Harry supported that comment and Ron had to admit that it was true, even thinking carefully it was almost surreal for Severus to punish Draco for insulting a group of Gryffindor. It was even weirder that he only took Ron's stitches away, instead of taking ten from each.

"Now I'm scared, was it really him? Harry, have you had any progress with the S Code that you haven't told us and that's why it was so nice?”

"Oh shut up Ron," Hermione said pinching his shoulder. “Don´t say those things.”

Harry said nothing, thinking that his teacher had indeed been lenient to them, even if they didn't notice at first glance.

“And what do you think it is?” Hermione asked, remembering the subject they had left unfinished by Draco's interruption.

Harry shook his head in denial, had given them a description of the symbol on his chest, saying that as soon as they had the chance he would show them.

"Remus said he could give me an answer at night."

"It shouldn't be too bad, or you'd be dying already," Ron said. "Dark magic works fast, doesn't it?"

"Normally," Hermione stated, "but there are millions of spells, not all of them work the same way."

Harry thought about that as he reached out to help himself to something to eat, but stopped in mid-action. He did not want to eat again until the problem of his tongue was solved, it was too annoying to chew without tasting anything, even that fact caused him not even to feel hungry.

* * *

  
Remus hadn't mentioned that the one who would help him recognize the spell would be Sirius. The animagus had the books that could help him in one of the magically secured trunks that kept many of the family heirlooms that Black did not wish to have nearby because they were very dangerous or because he did not care in the least. Many of those books were ancient and only continued to exist because they had been passed down from generation to generation.

Remus had read a few books a few years ago, but always returning them to the trunk with the corresponding spell. Logically, if it was a relic, Black were books about dark magic, of the most bloody and cruel type there was. Black would take care of searching through the trunks and removing the protection enchantments for when Remus arrived.

After the meal, Lupin knew that he could use the books and informed Dumbledore. The director told him to retire to look for the information and that he would take charge of supplying it in the Defense classes that remained for the rest of the day.

"The books are in the library," said Sirius, receiving him with a kiss. “What are you looking for?”

Remus explained the shape of the symbol and how it was rising on the skin. He didn't dare tell Sirius that it was about Harry, the man used to be very overprotective when his godson's name came up, so he told him that an Auror had faced Death Eaters and now had that symbol on his chest. They began to search through the mountain of books checking if any had a description about the symbol along with the associated spell.

"I'm looking forward to the December holidays and Harry can spend a few days here."

Remus said nothing feeling the weight of not telling the man what was going on and kept looking.

"I found it," Black said, rising from his seat to take the book to the other, "or so I think, because according to what you tell me it would be incomplete, look."

He handed him the book and Remus could see the symbol, the three lines and the double circle were exactly the same as what Harry had already formed, the cross, although in Harry it was only an outline, it was also very similar in terms of location and length that was in the drawing of the book, only that in the drawing there was something more under the cross, there were five points next to each other. He read the description of the book and felt a cold sweat running down his back. Sirius was gone to bring him something to drink and he couldn't see the look of horror on his partner's face. Remus had found the spell, but it was worse than they could imagine.


	6. Not the whole truth

Chapter 6. Not the whole truth.

Remus didn't wait another second before getting up from the sofa and heading to the fireplace. Sirius was entering the library accompanied by a house elf carrying a tray.

“Where are you going?”

"I have to speak to Dumbledore, it's urgent." He tried to stay calm, but it was difficult.

“Is it about the symbol? Is it so bad?”

He could only nod and left the other alone disappearing through the floo to reach his rooms.

The way to the principal's office seemed eternal, he even passed a few teachers who narrowly and did not return the greeting of how concentrated he was, at least it was dinner time so most of the Students would already be in the Great Hall. They waited for Severus to join them being called by a house elf. Lupin looked uneasy and was begging to be wrong.

"I'm not entirely sure," he said as soon as the potions master came in, "but I think it's this one. I'd seen it before and that's why it was so familiar to me.”

He opened the book to the page of the spell, noted the gaze of both wizards on the object that was clearly seen to be a relic about cursed enchantments, but neither made any comment about the provenance.

“Have you seen this spell before?”

"In a way," Remus was reluctant to believe it was the same spell knowing how terrible it was, "it was many years ago."

Dumbledore read the book with the description of the spell, then, in complete silence, extended it to Snape so that he could do the same.

_Corpore Inclusus_

_Ancient and undetectable spell that served as punishment for those who committed the worst acts and death was not enough punishment. It can only be used once by the same magician, and after having ingested the Absolute Virtute potion to be able to perform the spell._

_The affected person will gradually lose the faculties of the senses, taste, hearing, sight, smell and the tactile capacity to feel other things or on their own skin. He will also lose the ability to speak and move on their own, although he will never lose consciousness for further suffering. Then, when the affected person is already a shell without communication with anything, the will lose the ability to breathe until his inevitable death._

_The symbol of enchantment is the one used to seal the coffins of people who were buried alive as punishment, and it means confinement. The double circle with three internal lines that refer to the fact of being enclosed in the body itself, the x refers to the cessation of life that will come after time and the five points mark the cessation of faculties. The circle and the x will be formed when the first sign appears, the last point will appear when the breath is going to be cut indicating the total fulfillment of the spell._

Down, the book went on to detail the phases of the spell, but what interested Severus the most was that the book didn´t talk about a counter spell or anything to stop the hex from advancing.

"It has no counter spell."

Remus pursed his lips.

“In the time I saw the spell on another person, there was no counter spell either. I never knew what happened to him.”

An indescribable feeling seized Severus, one of those that oppress your chest and you feel your breath catch for the moment.

"Severus, did you make the _Absolute Virtute_ potion for Voldemort?"

"No," said the master, although that was not a very difficult potion to make, it was difficult to obtain, “but it is a potion that takes a year and a half to finish. Surely he did not order it prepared, he got it from someone who already had it.”

Dumbledore understood that his potions master must be correct. Unfortunately Severus was not the only one with extraordinary abilities for dark potions.

Suddenly, for Snape, many things made sense. The Dark Lord seemed to be up to something he did not understand, he even seemed nervous, he had told Dumbledore but after weeks of not making any move, they no longer knew what to think.

"That's why the dark lord was so angry," he said, thinking of the two consecutive meetings, "he called us two nights in a row, I was lucky he didn't attack me with spells, he seemed to be satisfied with hurting only a couple of Death Eaters."

“He was exhausted from casting the curse, and furious that he couldn't hurt his target.”

Remus grimaced. The target was Dumbledore. Voldemort had wanted to attack the old wizard with something he couldn't undo, if he knew he had managed to hurt Potter he would be more than happy. That obviously couldn't reach his ears.

What to do at that time? It seemed to have no cure, but there was always a cure, and they must try to find it.

"The person who suffered this," Remus said, "I can try to locate him and know what happened to him."

“Do you think he's still alive?” Snape asked, his voice sounded so needy of hope that it couldn't go unnoticed by the others present.

"I hope so," he replied simply, "his partner was very capable, and said he would not give up until he found a way to stop the hex."

  
"And maybe we'll find something else in some other book" Dumbledore adjusted his glasses as he thought about his possible options "it's a very old hex, but this should not be the only literature that talks about it. Also, there must be more people, apart from Remus, who have seen the _Corpore Inclusus._ Some must offer us a way forward. The problem is the time it takes to find these answers, here does not talk about the advance of the curse and the loss of the senses” he reread the book over to corroborate his words “we must think of something that gives us extra time so that Harry can hold on.”

Severus had an idea.

"We can use a slowing charm." It took a second before continuing. “The Minuere.”

Dumbledore stared at the potions master.

 _The Minuere_ enchantment was one of the most powerful in slowing down long-lasting curses or spells as long as a definitive cure was achieved or at least lengthened the lives of people who no longer had salvation. Its use was complicated because it was based on the elaboration of a powerful, volatile and deadly potion —in case it was poorly prepared— and a union spell accompanied by a ritual.

The person performing the potion must be the same person who performed the ritual, and was called the _life provider_. The provider had to put some of his blood into the potion and give it to the affected person to drink, then there was the part of the ritual where the provider cast a protection spell to slow down the curse.

"The Minuere would be very good in this situation," Remus said, exclaiming the same doubt as the director, "it is a powerful enchantment that can very well retain a curse of this type. But whoever makes the potion is the same one who must do the binding spell. The potion includes your blood, Severus, and the enchantment...

"I know," the potion master said, he knew quite well that it included the enchantment.

"But Severus, if you start the enchantment you must continue it until we find the cure. We cannot change the life provider. Do you know what that means?”

"Young Potter will have to spend more time with you, Severus." Said the director cautiously.

Remus was more direct.

"He will have to sleep next to you."

Severus saw them, simply repeating a simple one again: "I know."

Severus knew that the others were doubting his ability to withstand all that the spell implied. The Minuere was originally created by a potionist hundreds of years ago to protect his wife. The woman had an illness that was killing her life and the man created the enchantment to prolong the woman's life. Since the spell required transferring life energy from one body to another, the man hugged his wife every night to complete the enchantment.

Severus would have to prepare the difficult potion that would include his own blood, do the ritual with Harry, and sleep on certain nights with him to complete it. Was he really willing to do that?

"The spell was going to hit me." He said, explaining his decision.

"It was meant to me," Dumbledore said sadly.

"In the end he was going to hit me," Severus replied, "I owe Potter my life right now. It is a debt that I must pay.”

The other two understood Severus' reaction, this was a life debt, it was logical that someone like Snape was willing to pay it no matter what he needed to do.

"In the end I'm glad to hear that," Albus snapped, "not only finding such a capable potionist to perform that potion would be nearly impossible, not to mention the power it would take to perform the spell. And the confidence it would take to perform the enchantment alongside Harry.”

There was also the confidence factor. It was about leaving Harry's life in someone's hands, and Dumbledore couldn't trust anyone but Severus for that mission.

Thinking about what he would say next, Albus hoped that it did not affect the men in front of him too much and expressed that they should not tell Harry about the lack of counter-enchantment before finding it, or the fact that after losing functions, he was going to inevitably die.

"It would be cruel to tell him that," exclaimed the director.

“And keep him cheated?” Snape's brow furrowed, Remus seemed to think, "Shouldn't Potter know something like that? Is about his life"

“And isn't it cruel to tell a poor boy, who at 17 has been through so much, that he is going to die in a tortuous and unthinkable way while he becomes a shell without communication?”

"He will not die," Remus replied with a certain fury, "there must be a cure. There is always a cure.”

“But we don't know yet, and Harry will suffer more every day that we don't know."

Severus had been too many years knowing the old director. He had seen the fury in the other, the joy of his smiles, the disbelief or mockery reflected on his face, the sadness when the war took a friend ... but never in his life had he seen Dumbledore with tears in his eyes. It was even unthinkable for Severus, and of course Albus did not allow himself to cry, but seeing all that sadness reflected in the other's eyes made him realize his own. He also didn't want Potter to suffer too much. Even the guilt of knowing that the spell might have struck him and not Harry felt even worse.

Harry had protected him, and Severus was more than indebted to him. And he silently promised himself that he would protect him at all possible levels.

"I agree," he said after taking a deep breath, "let's not tell Potter the whole truth."

How to tell a 17 year old boy that he had been cursed by a spell that probably had no cure? And then how to go on to explain all the torment he would go through? It was probably that there was no counter spell or a way to reverse it, but not impossible. The boy had suffered too much already. They wanted to prolong the news that before the curse itself, it would kill the anguish. In other words, while it will sound bad, they would hide some of the truth from Harry. It was a unknown spell, rather they had been lucky enough to find out quickly because Remus knew where to look, so Harry would not easily discover the lie.

Was it something despicable? Of course yes, and none of the three men felt comfortable knowing what they were going to do to Potter, but it was for his sake. Or at least it was what they want to think.

They decided how far they would tell Harry the truth and that after talking to the boy they were going to meet Arthur and Molly Weasly, McGonagall, Pomfrey and Sirius. They would be told everything, obviously, and clarifying that Harry should not know the magnitude of the problem.

They would need to tell the truth to Mandan Pomfrey too for more than obvious reasons, the witch must be aware of what was really going on in case Harry will need medical help at any time. McGonagall was the boy's House Head and who could best look him when he was in the common room. Molly and Arthur must have known because they could help with the investigation. Although socially they were not very accepted, the Weasly came from an old family and had some relationship with certain families of the same category and perhaps someone would know the spell or know of cases in which it had been used.

And Sirius, they thought quite a bit about whether to tell him or not, and although Severus detailed a long list of the reasons why they must be telling Sirius the same half-truth as they would tell Harry, Remus gave the points by which the Animagus was entitled to know the whole truth. Remus took responsibility for explaining to Black the reasons why he couldn't tell Harry.

* * *

Harry had decided to skip dinner and stay and read in his room. He had told his friends that he would be fine, and although Hermione gave him a long speech about the importance of eating food at the right times, he reminded her about his problem sensing flavors and the girl embarrassed and left him alone.

Luckily his room was empty and he was able to relax by finishing the last few pages he had left. Since it was Wednesday, he had his training lesson with Snape and, among all the bad things of the past few days, the lessons with his potions master were the most enjoyable and he was looking forward to the time.

When he finished reading he reviewed the notes he had made with his friends. On Thursdays and Saturdays in the afternoon Hermione and Ron helped him in a kind of study session where they sought to improve their skills in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ron himself, who hardly liked doing homework, was looking forward to those sessions.

“It's not the same to do a boring Divination test than to look for a spell to make a Death Eater fly a hundred meters” the redhead said every time his girlfriend asked him why he waited so eagerly for these sessions, but he left the assigned tasks to last.

As he studied the last spells Harry had written down, he had an idea hanging around his mind. A small thorn told him that Snape might perhaps be slightly interested in him. In the solitude of his room, he could remember the times he found the teacher looking at him or not, when he made an improper comment from a student to a teacher.

 _Maybe it is that you are not completely indifferent to Snape_ said a little voice in his head, but that must be impossible, right?

Harry wouldn't admit it in front of his friends, but there was a moment when he thought he would die when he got in the way of Voldemort's spell. Although he didn't hear what enchantment it was, he had sworn it was unforgivable.

Hermione had told him to wait until the end of the course to confess, but what if he didn't make it to the end of the year? It was a probability that he could not ignore.

What if he took a little risk and confessed to Snape? Or at least toward making his hints more direct. If Snape screwed him up — and the probability was very high — his little friendship with the man would be ruined and he would probably even stop giving him the evening lessons. But if he accepted...

Harry sighed thinking about the things that could happen if the man accepted. Although it sounded childish, what he wanted most was to taste the man´s lips, for him they were his downfall. He imagined what it would be like to be hugged by the elder, to breathe his scent while his strong hands caressed him and to approach little by little to receive that long-awaited kiss.

He pursed his lips, feeling the blush rise on his face. He wished he had a chance for a kiss from the man before death that would logically one day come into the hands of his enemy. He had kissed a few boys at school a few times, but none of them caused as much sensation as Snape did with their mere presence.

“Maybe I can try it, a risk for a kiss. So if I die before I graduate I won't have remorse." He felt foolish to realize that he longed for a kiss from his teacher so much that he considered it his only wish before he died.

He smiled at that thought, but straightened up when he felt someone enter his room. It was Remus who had been looking for him.

"Harry, the director wants to talk to you." The lycanthrope's expression was strange according to Harry, and he had to remember that perhaps it was his problem. Remus was silent the whole way, even when Harry asked him if it was about Voldemort's hex the professor could only nod. That made him feel a little scared, and he didn't feel any better when, upon arriving at Dumbledore's office, he felt the atmosphere even heavier.

The resolution of the three men not to tell the whole truth to Harry was failing, having them sit across from them, and waiting for an answer without knowing that their protectors would lie to him, was flooding them with guilt. Harry was biting his lip waiting for someone to say something to him, the tension was killing him.

"Voldemort cast a hex on you," Snape began.

When it seemed that Severus didn't want to continue, Albus spoke up.

"It is a cloistered spell."

“Cloistered?” Harry asked, not quite understanding that word.

"Body confinement. It is a kind of confinement inside the body” the director affirmed “In it, people lose the functions of the senses.” 

“Is my inability to taste because of the spell?”

"I am afraid so."

Harry was processing, Dumbledore had mentioned the functions of the senses. In addition to taste there was sight, smell, hearing and touch. According to what the director told him, was he going to lose them too? Was he going to be left without seeing, hearing or feeling anything?

"With confinement in the own body," said Harry hesitantly, "means that ...”

The expression on Harry's face was enough to make the others see that it was okay to lie to him. The boy had turned white and Remus even approached him just in case Harry passed out.

“Does it mean that I will be like a doll or a shell?” He asked, it almost seemed like he was going to hyperventilate, but forced himself to keep talking. "The counter spell...”

"We have an idea of what it could be," the director lied. “Unfortunately, few people know this. But in the meantime, we'll use a spell that slows down the curse's progress.”

"And then when I lose my senses, what will happen to me?" Harry interrupted the director. He didn't want an enchantment to slow that down, he wanted to stop it.

"We don't know," Remus said, hiding the part where he would stop talking and breathing progressively and placed a hand on his shoulder, "the hex doesn't go beyond that, we suppose."

Harry clenched his fists on his legs for a few seconds, trying to control himself in front of the other three. What they were asking him was not easy to take.

"How long do I have to ..." He took a short breath, not knowing how to continue.

Severus realized what he wanted to say, wanted to ask the time in which he would lose each sense and it was obvious how difficult it was making him.

"We don't know," he said, and it was true, the book didn’t say anything about the time, "but we still have the spell to delay the advance."

“And what is the spell to slow down?” He asked, he needed to hear something good at the moment.

" _Minuere_ ," said the director. "It's a complicated enchantment, but it will help us endure the curse until ... we find the counter spell."

“And what should I do?"

“Nothing, Severus will take care of giving you the potion and helping you do the ritual."

“Ritual?”

"It's kind of complicated," Remus said, seeing Harry's overwhelmed expression, "but for now it's something you don't need to know. It will be painless and we can explain it to you later.”

Harry nodded forcing himself to breathe, Remus was surely understanding how bad he was feeling at the time and was grateful that he had no more information to analyze in that second.

"I want to leave," he said, standing up and turning around.

"Harry ..." the director called, but he ignored him and without being embarrassed for looking like a little boy, he ran out of the office.


	7. Malfoy´s secret

Chapter 7. Malfoy's Secret.

Harry came down from the gargoyle feeling that he couldn't breathe fully. He felt dizzy, nauseous and with a feeling of desolation that did not allow him to think well. He had left the principal's office, but in what direction he could go? He couldn't stand up, He could fall and had to hold on to the walls.

“Harry.”

He heard someone said his name, but in the haze that clouded his thoughts he didn´t recognize who was. He felt that someone took him by both arms and had took him away, and he could not resist.

What they just told him was spinning in his head swiftly and suffocating. He had a curse that would take away his senses one by one. He was losing the ability to taste food, but then would follow the ability to feel, smell, hear, see...

It would be a doll or a shell that would only breathe and speak, but for what? There would be no difference between him and a shell. His eyes filled with tears that he was not going to stop. He no longer knew he was being held by the arms, nor did he know where he was. He had a feeling of something around his body that was loosely associated with a hug. His silent crying took about ten minutes, and after that time he was able to get out of the haze where he felt a little, and realize that he was in a room that was not his own, and who was hugging him was Hermione. The girl's perfume flooded her nostrils, and the knowledge that he would soon be unable to do that caused him to emit a painful groan, scaring the girl.

"Please Harry," she said through tears, "tell us what happens."

Beside him was Ron, but Harry hadn't seen him yet.

When Remus was looking for Harry, he had gone to the Great Hall thinking that he would be dining with his friends. Ron told him he was in his room and Hermione and Ron remembered that Harry was waiting for Remus to investigate what he had, so it was easy for them to assume that he was looking for him on that subject. They decided to wait hidden outside the director's office and saw Harry enter after Remus. The wait was long, but as soon as they saw Harry leave alone and in the shock he was in, they had no doubt that something very serious was happening to his friend. They approached him but the boy did not answer them, so they took him by the arms and dragged him almost to the Room of Requirement.

Once in the safety of the room, Hermione had hugged him and Harry had started to cry silently, the girl could not contain her tears either. Ron tried to control himself, but just thinking about what he could put his friend like that filled his eyes with tears that he wasn't going to shed.

"Harry, please," Hermione pleaded, "talk to us...”

Harry understood where he was, and also noticed the hand on his back that tried to comfort him and belonged to Ron. He clung even more in the embrace of his friend trying to give himself courage, feeling how she held him tighter.

"I ... Voldemort's spell...”

He explained to them everything he had been told between sobs, everything the spell was about, everything he would lose, that they did not know how to stop the curse, and none of the Gryffindors in front of him had the courage to say anything during a few minutes.

"The only hope they give me at the moment," he said still in his friend's arms, "is that there is a kind of spell to block the advance.”

“A Spell to slow down?” Hermione corrected and Harry nodded. "Do you know what his name is?"

" _Minuer_ , I think."

" _Minuere_ ," she said, Ron saw her without understanding, "the spell is called Minuere. It is one of the most famous spells of that class, although the least used, since it is very complicated.”

"I suppose it is very powerful," Ron said looking at Harry, "they will have thought of the strongest enchantment to slow it down as much as possible."

"Very powerful," she confirmed, "and very difficult to do. Do you know who will make the spell?”

"Snape.”

“Oh Harry!” she said, and she wanted to cry again for his friend's bad luck. "If it weren't for this whole situation, you'd be more than happy to receive that incantation."

“What do you mean?” Ron asked more than confused.

Hermione couldn't help but blush before explaining to them.

"Part of the enchantment involves sleeping with Snape."

“Will Harry sleep with the bastard?”

"Don't tell him like that," she exclaimed with enough fury towards her boyfriend, "I don't know exactly how much it implies because there was almost no information where I read it, and it's quite old, but you have to spend a night with whoever does the ritual. Together.

"Together is ...?" Harry asked doubtfully, feeling a slight warmth on his cheeks.

“Will they have sex?” Ron exclaimed looking horrified.

Would he have sex with Snape? Was that a cruel move of fate? Give him something as good as that opportunity, and at the same time as bad as the curse on his chest at the same time.

"I'm not sure, but I think so."

"But if that's just a spell to slow progress, how will they break the curse?"

"Dumbledore said they'd be looking for the spell," Harry tried to sit up a bit, getting out of his friend's embrace, "there are things I didn't quite understand because I was thinking about… you know, the curse itself." Harry thought a little, he didn't know how to put into words the doubt he had “but I have a doubt, you know? It is as if something is being hidden from me.”

“Something? Who?”

"Dumbledore, Remus, and Snape. All three were present. I have the feeling that something is hidden from me.

“About the curse?” Ron asked. "Or the cure?"

"I don't know," Harry sighed.

"Well," Hermione finished, "if Dumbledore says there is a cure we must believe him, he wouldn't lie to you. Neither did Remus. We just have to be patient.”

"He'll have more than patience," Ron exclaimed grimacing, "he'll have sex with Snape, disgusting."

“Ron!”

"It's funny," Harry sighed, drawing the attention of his friends, "I'll get what I've been wanting, to be close to Snape."

"Let's take it as a good thing then," she said, and gave Ron a clear warning look "while you wait for the counter spell, which will obviously come, you can spend time with Snape."

"Maybe you're right Hermione," he said with a sigh.

They left the room when Harry felt ready, the curfew hour had started so they had to be very careful that nobody found them.

"We should have brought the invisibility cloak," Ron complained quietly as they stepped forward.

“How would we know we would need it?” Hermione said and almost had a heart attack when, on the verge of reaching the portrait in her common room, they collided with a teacher. "Professor McGonagall...”

For a moment the three feared receiving the reprimand and the punishment that would logically be put on them, and probably the reduction of points, but in the end Minerva only sighed.

"Okay Miss Granger, come in and go to sleep."

Hermione understood that Dumbledore would have already brought her up to date in the time they were down and, although she was happy that they didn't get points reduced, her teacher's indulgence showed how difficult that situation was for Harry and that she wanted, in some way help him.

* * *

Draco found it immensely difficult not to be discovered. When he was going to the Great Hall for dinner, he saw in the distance when Hermione Granger and Ron Weasly came out looking worried about something. He had a strong hunch that it was something related to Potter and decided to follow them.

He was lucky that the Gryffindors knew how to attack, but they didn't have a reputation for being the most careful or keeping an eye on their surroundings as much as a Slytherin did. That caused neither of them to notice his presence. Both lions stayed hidden near Dumbledore's office, and Draco made the same.

A few minutes later, next to his hiding place, he saw Professor Remus Lupin followed by Potter, both of them were so concerned about something — and they were Gryffindors — that they didn't notice either his presence or Harry's two friends hidden behind some columns.

Draco waited, being cautious not to discover his position. He could perfectly keep an eye on whether Granger or Weasly were leaving where they were, but he couldn't see clearly the entrance to the principal's office, so he only had what the other two could do.

After a long time he saw the other two move from their place, and Malfoy decided to move a little, being careful, to get a better look. Hermione seemed to be getting closer to Potter, Draco couldn't see Harry's face because Ron blocked his view, but the two friends seemed to be holding Potter.

“What's happening to him?” Draco whispered to himself.

He watched as they both held Harry by the arms and carried him away. Carefully following them, he was lucky that they were both too focused on not dropping their friend.

He narrowly missed them, but he was lucky to see them enter to the Room of Requirement. Draco already knew that room, so he decided to wait again. He hid behind a column when the curfew started, not wanting to be found by any teacher. While he was a prefect, he couldn't give an explanation for staying in that hallway until the others came out.

They left quite late, checking that nobody saw them. Draco saw Hermione finish cleaning her face: she had been crying.

“What the fuck is wrong with Potter?”

He decided to turn around and head immediately to his common room. Walking through the dungeons could not get the thought out that these actions did not indicate anything good. A teacher had taken Potter to the principal's office, and then Potter had left — visibly affected by something — and had to be dragged along by his two friends. In the Room of Requirements Potter's friends had logically found out, and it was a serious thing, since Granger had come out crying, and Potter's face didn't look too good either.

Draco tucked a lock of hair behind his ear and gave the password to the portrait in his common room.

“Where have you been?” Pansy Parkinson asked as soon as she saw him enter through the portrait, and she approached him.

"Is that your problem?" Draco replied with a grimace. “I do not think so.”

"We were waiting for you in the Great Hall," Zabini said approaching, preventing a possible fight, "we were only concerned.”

"You don't need to worry," Draco ignored Pansy's murderous gaze and turned to Blaise, "I can take care of myself”

“Do you remember that I'm your girlfriend?” Pansy asked through clenched teeth. “That gives me the right and the obligation to know where you are.”

Draco narrowly says "you are my girlfriend for convenience", but stopped not wanting to continue angering the Witch Parkinson

“Pansy, leave him alone” — Theodore approached the girl and placed his hands on her shoulders “we all know that he is your boyfriend, happy?”

Pansy seemed to relax in the presence of her friend Nott and turned in disgust to drag him away. Draco could only sigh and went up to his room followed by Blaise.

“Will you tell me where you were?” There were only the two of them in the room and Blaise had the confidence to speak.

"I was following Potter," he said as he sat on his bed, feeling tired.

“Potter?” Blaise grimaced. "One of these days they'll discover you."

"I can't help it."

"Draco, you have to forget Potter. If anyone finds out...

"Only you know," he almost screamed, becoming defensive.

Blaise raised his hands and vowed that no one would know from him.

"Crabbe and Goyle told me what you did in the afternoon, and that Snape took points from you."

"Don't remind me of that shit."

He was frustrated, not only had he gotten angry seeing the three Gryffindors so close together — and the rumors were hammering in his head — but he also lost points for Slytherin.

"Come on, I know you went to bother him just to be a little close to him."

Draco lay down on his bed, turning his back on the other. Although what Blaise said was true, it was humiliating to hear him out loud.

“Do you think he really is Weasley´s boyfriend? He finally said after a few minutes of silence in a defeated voice. Blaise sat next to his friend to slap him. He knew that news had caused Draco to get depressed, and perhaps that was why he armed himself with his two silly bodyguards to go bother Harry.

Lucius Malfoy had given Draco an ultimatum, Draco had to find a girlfriend. A rumor began to spread among Malfoy circles that Lucius’s firstborn was gay, and that was more than unacceptable to Lucius. His father had told him that to keep the last-name clean, he would get himself a pureblood bride. The Malfoys and Parkinsons took advantage of the moment to strengthen their alliance through the courtship and future commitment of their children. Pansy was more than happy, she had been after Draco for years, but the boy never listened.

The problem was that Draco was gay - and only Blaise knew the truth - and what was worse, he had been in love with Potter since the middle of the fifth year and the only way he had found to be close to him was to bother him. Zabini did not know how to answer his friend's question. On the one hand, all the rumors about lions sounded a bit far-fetched, on the other hand, they always seemed to be in something strange...

"Anyway, I think something's wrong with Potter," Draco exclaimed, pulling Blaise out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“I don't know exactly, I followed his friends and they waited a long time outside the director's office, then they locked themselves in a room for a long time."

“Draco ..." he said, perhaps the rumors were true.

"None of that," he exclaimed quickly, "Potter and Granger had been crying."

“I do not know what to tell you…”

"Help me find out, please”

Blaise eyed him suspiciously.

“What good will it do you?”

“I'm worried.” He said, and it was hard to admit it. "I just want to know what's wrong with him."

"Draco ... just because you found out he's gay doesn't mean he will likes you or something."

"I know Blaise, I just want to know."

Zabini sighed and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. Could he say no to something Draco asked of him?

The life´s thing, Blaise in love with Draco, and Draco in love with Harry.

"I will help you," he finished saying.

What else could he do?


	8. Suspicions

Chapter 8. Suspicions

Voldemort looked at the Death Eater at his feet with indifference, the poor man dying under the unforgivable that he threw at him without mercy.

He was furious.

How was that mistake possible? He had lost his best chance. As soon as he received the notice that a group of his Death Eaters had Potter cornered, he did not hesitate to go and take advantage of the moment.

He had been preparing himself with a deadly spell, he had even managed to obtain a difficult and almost non-existent potion that would give him the necessary capacity to cast the _Corpore Inclusus_. It was meant to be for Albus Dumbledore, he was not only supposed to get Potter out, but Dumbledore as well, and with the old wizard he needed something powerful. Dumbledore managed to stop or dodge all his avadas, but that spell was more than perfect, it could not be stopped.

But he rushed and failed.

He cast another spell that caused the Death Eater at his feet to writhe. For three days he was too weak to re-direct any attack, and worst of all, he couldn't cast that spell he had so hardworking again.

But there was also something that had him confused, a detail, something that had him very intrigued and that he did not fully understand. He had a strange feeling of believing that the spell was working. It was a strange thing, in the texts where he read the _Corpore Inclusus_ spoke of a connection where the one who cast the spell could feel the advance of the curse in the spellbound, and yet it was like feeling and not feeling at the same time. Was he going crazy already? Perhaps it was more paranoia for having failed. Even for a moment he came to think that Dumbledore, being so powerful, was blocking with his magic that “connection” that was created by casting that spell and that was why he did not notice it, but he discarded the idea considering that not even the old wizard was so powerful.

But he was fine, it didn't matter in the least, he wouldn't wallow in his failure for too long. He had never given up on a mishap like that and anyway, he already had an idea rolling in his mind about his next move.

* * *

The next day, Thursday, was inevitably chaotic for Harry. He had to go back to the principal's office early in the morning when McGonagall came looking for him before he went down to the Great Hall for a great detail: Sirius.

When Remus told Sirius what was happening, he narrowly had a heart attack. Even the lycanthrope thought that his partner could suffer from an anxiety attack at any time. While the boys slept, Dumbledore wasted no time and alerted the Weasly and McGonagall of the situation while Remus did the same with Black.

Lupin didn´t tell Sirius that the curse had hit Harry for protecting Severus - that would bring more problems, fights and claims that they really didn't need at the time - but he explained all the reasons why he should remember not telling Harry the whole truth about his situation. At first it didn't seem like it, he said that his godson had right to know the truth, but then he came to understand how difficult it would be for Harry to go through all that if they took away the hope of believing they knew about the cure. The knowledge that they could cast a spell to hold back the progress of that curse was a relief, and he had to swallow every urge to complain when he knew Snape would make the spell.

They could brand him immature on many occasions, but he knew when to hold back, and if that was the best way to help Harry, he wouldn't argue.

As soon as he saw Harry walk through the door, he couldn't help but hug him tight. Perhaps he was making the situation worse, his actions could make Harry more nervous, but he couldn't help it. Harry returned the hug feeling truly comforted. He had always felt Sirius as a direct connection to his parents, and while he wouldn't voice it out loud, he needed them enough right now.

"I promise I will find that cure as soon as I can." He said in a low voice.

He kept feeling guilty for hiding part of the truth from his godson, Harry was placing his trust in them, in him, was he really doing the right thing if he felt so guilty?

* * *

In the Great Hall, the first news the students received over breakfast was that all potion classes that day would be suspended. Dumbledore did not specify reasons, and of course that provoked curious comments from those who could not believe that the strict Severus Snape did not teach for that full day.

Even the curiosity was great enough that the issue of the relationships between the golden trio was left in the background.

Since his first hour was potions, and after knowing that they were free, Draco took Blaise without him being able to finish his breakfast and took him to his rooms almost dragging him, ignoring his girlfriend's gaze when leaving her alone at the table. When they were alone in his room, the blonde spoke with a serious face:

"Something very strange is happening."

"I don't think it's related" Blaise decided to sit on his bed, he knew that his friend was relating Snape and Potter, he knew him too well not to notice, and more with the expression he had put on while listening to the director's words.

Draco crossed his arms, offended that his friend doubted his analytical skills.

“When did Snape cancel a class? It will be the full day now.” He raised an eyebrow for emphasis.

Blaise could only sigh.

“Can't you think it's just a coincidence?” He asked, getting a cold look in response, "Well, but that doesn't mean anything.” How can the two things be related? He couldn't make sense of it at all. Perhaps Draco was becoming paranoid.

Draco thought about it for a second, surely it was something related to potions.

"Think about it, he sure prepares a potion for Potter."

"Draco, Snape works for Lord Voldemort," Blaise recalled, he knew that very well from listening to his parents' conversation. Although both he and Draco did not want to be Death Eaters, they could not help it and were taken to many meetings of their parents where they discussed this topic. Even that in a short time they would join those ranks themselves. - If Harry were sick he wouldn't prepare a potion to help him.

"If the Dumbledore asks for it," he claimed. Although he knew very well that Snape worked for Lord Voldemort, surely if the director asked him for something he could not refuse. He knew very well that the same professor was the one who supplied the infirmary with potions. Why not a special request from Dumbledore?

"But in that case if it's something as catastrophic as you are imagining it, wouldn't Snape tell the dark lord?"

 _Good point_ , Draco thought. _Did that mean Snape had already told him or would he tell him about the Potter situation?_

Blaise had an idea, mentally kicked himself saying that he was getting too close with Draco.

“What if Snape is to blame? He ventured to say, "Does that sound logical?"

“What are you talking about?” he frowned, trying to think what he meant. What would Snape be guilty of?

"Maybe Snape was doing something to Potter, Dumbledore figured it out and fired him." In a way Zabini was feeling somewhat stupid for falling for the conspiracy theories that Draco was inventing in less than a minute, but he was already used to the fact that another would drive him crazy with the Potter theme “maybe I'm exaggerating, I don't know very well…”

But Draco didn't think he was exaggerating.

"It could be," he finished, "we didn't see Snape in the Great Hall. We could solve it easily looking for him with any excuse, he is our head of house after all.”

"We could be wrong, that he came out for something else, or that he's here and bothering him wouldn't bring us any good." He couldn't help but shrug, he didn't want supporting Draco to mean bothering Snape and risking losing points for his home.

"Don't worry Blaise," he said, thinking of his possibilities, "I can do that part alone."

"Yeah, but a question. What will you do if he's guilty? Or if it's not, what will you do if he told Voldemort the situation?” Blaise looked very worried about Draco, he could get into serious trouble if he continued with his ideas to help Potter “Do you remember that Snape is your godfather and that he and your father are on the same side?”

"You don't need to remind me."

Although he had many of the Pureblood ideals, he was not at all happy to have to serve a sadistic madman with anger issues. He had never wanted to join Voldemort's ranks, and the only one he could share that thought with was Blaise.

He hated his father more for forcing him to serve the Dark Lord than for forcing him to be with Pansy, and that was saying a lot.

* * *

Severus had started preparing the potion since before dawn, he hadn't even thought about going down to the Great Hall to have breakfast so he didn't have to stop, anyway, concentrating as he was, he didn't feel hungry. He barely deigned to ask one of the elves to make him tea. He needed to prepare the potion as soon as possible, then he could prepare them in the evenings without having to interrupt his classes.

As he meticulously cut the ingredients, he could only think that Harry hadn't been told the proper part of the ritual yet, and to be honest, he was anxious to know how he would take it. He wasn't sure if the boy was too pleased to have to sleep with him. Surely the director or the wolf would tell him as the day progressed.

Potter...

That led him to analyze other things, quite important in that situation.

The thoughts he had about the Gryffindor sometimes hinting at him must be dismissed, especially in those circumstances where he must act as the responsible adult he was. It was that now it would be obligatory to maintain his life that the boy was with him, and he must be very rogue if he took advantage of that situation.

All those thoughts that had driven him crazy when he found out about Potter's sort of relationship with Weasly attacked him again, this time perhaps with more weight and more insistence. That had affected him because in some way he had become attached to the boy, and now he would be so close to him ...

But no, he had to stay focused at all times, he was not going to exceed the confidence of that boy, he was already getting along with him, and he really did not want that little "courtesy" they had, to vanish because of that.

 _Even though you've secretly enjoyed the idea of_ __ _being able to do the ritual for him_...

He chased that thought away quickly and told himself that he offered to do the ritual because Harry saved his life, and nothing else.

He also had to remember the fact that Potter was apparently already in a relationship with Weasly, so the boy must surely not like the idea of having to be in a bed with his potions master.

"Concentrate, damn it…"

He looked around at the table he was working on. Thanks to Merlin at least he had all the ingredients. Two of them were rare and he had enough in store to prepare it twice, but he had already spoken to the manager about getting more.

Maybe his thoughts wandered so much due to exhaustion, when Harry left, Severus leaft Dumbledore and Lupin to break the news to the others. In the meantime, he took care of searching his private library for information about the _Minuere_. He knew the ritual and the potion he had to perform well, but wanted to be sure that no detail would escape him. So technically he had only slept about three hours.

* * *

  
The three Gryffindors had no potions that day, so the fact that they canceled that class didn't affect them. After Sirius spoke to him, the director offered Harry that due to his situation, he could stay that day resting in his common room, Harry thought about it for a moment but that would be worse. He would just spend it over analyzing the curse he was carrying, and at least the classes with his friends could distract him a bit.

Thanks to them he was a little calmer, they had even made him understand that if Dumbledore, Lupine and Snape promised him the cure, he just needed to wait.

“And you know how it is?” Hermione asked outside the classroom waiting for their next class. She had told them what she knew, but it was not too much due to the lack of information where she had read it.

Furthermore, the _Minuere_ , while not considered black magic, was also not entirely white. The potion contained three different types of blood, and the ritual involved blood. Also, the life provider — who made the potion and gave some of his energy — must be very capable when reciting the spell. So it was not a simple charm that they would find in any book.

"Dumbledore told me that S would explain." Harry said looking at his classmates absentmindedly.

"Surely it pains him to tell you that you have to go to bed with an S code," Ron joked in a low voice, avoiding curious ears, "surely it happens to him like me, who shudders just thinking about it."

"If Harry likes it, it won't be that bad." Hermione recalled, trying to find the good side of all this catastrophe.

"But I don't know if he likes me yet," Harry looked a little anxious, thinking about the idea that Snape didn't like him after all "and it would be ... weird."

"If he doesn't like you that way, at least you will strengthen the friendship," the redhead managed to say.

Hermione ended up pinching his arm hard.

“Can't you see that what you say is worse? It doesn't help at all.”

"it´s Okay," he replied, "I had already decided to be a little more direct anyway."

“Are you going to declare to him?” Hermione was truly surprised, Harry was not expected to finish deciding to express his feelings to the teacher openly.

“I was thinking about that before knowing that I have _this_ curse, and perhaps I can take advantage that, literally, “that” is going to happen.

"You'll get sex before a kiss," his friend said, patting him on the back, "you're always one step ahead Harry."

Harry couldn't help but think the thought was a little hilarious, but added nothing more when Flitwick opened the door for them to enter the room.

* * *

Draco had spent the entire morning waiting for Snape to appear. Every minute that passed, it hammered in his head, confirming the hypothesis. Beside him, Blaise looked at him without saying anything, when his friend concentrated it was really difficult to get him out of that kind of "trance." And maybe that made Pansy — who had been speaking to her since her arrival — end up exploding.

“Can you pay attention to me for a damn minute?!” The girl's teeth were firmly clenched, and Blaise thought her jaw would break at any moment.

Draco stopped looking at the teachers´ table and looked at her.

“What do you want?” He asked reluctantly.

"Pay attention to me, is it too much to ask?" He rolled his eyes and she got even angrier "I have all the food talking to you, and you as an idiot looking towards the damn teacher's table."

"Come on Pansy, maybe he's just thinking about something important," Nott tried to reassure her by placing a hand on her arm, but the girl brushed him off.

“What do I care about that?” She asked, and then looked at her boyfriend. "If you paid me a little attention...”

"If I paid you a little attention," Draco interrupted, "I'd die of boredom. Talking to you is worse than a Slugulus Eructo, believe me.”

“Son of a bitc… "

“Ok, ok," Blaise stopped the girl's clear insult, fearing they would start to fight seriously in front of so many people. "Draco, come with me to look for my book of ... my book. I left it in the bedroom and I need it for the next class.”

There was no time for a reply from Draco or Pansy, he got up and took Malfoy by the arm to do the same, just as the blonde had done with him in the morning. They left the Great Hall under Parkinson's sharp gaze.

"Because of you, I've already missed two meals," Blaise snorted as they crossed the double doors.

"It is not my fault," he said feeling offended, he was quite angry with Pansy, "that idiot makes me nervous.”

"I know Draco, but she's supposed to be your girlfriend. You can't afford to have her complain to your dad.”

Draco nodded remembering that part. Not having problems with Lucius was the only thing that kept him from sending Pansy to hell and putting up with all his tantrums.

He rubbed his face in frustration and in a second and without telling his friend, he started walking.

“Where are you going?” Blaise asked, catching up with Draco.

"To find Snape." He simply commented.

“What?”

"If he's still here I can rule out that he was fired, right?"

“And the class?” He asked, staying behind.

"It won't take long," he said without stopping and continued walking towards the dungeons, he would get out of that doubt in that instant.

* * *

He had accompanied his friends to the Great Hall, but not being able to taste anything caused him not to actually eat.

His friends looked worried, and Hermione tried to get him to eat something, but he simply decided to drink a juice - which tasted like nothing - but at least he just needed to swallow without chewing.

He noticed almost unintentionally Malfoy and his group of friends, they seemed to be arguing about something, mainly Pansy Parkinson. Then he saw Draco and Blaise rush out of the Great Hall.

“What's up Harry?” Hermione asked following the direction of his gaze.

"Malfoy and his entourage, they seem to be arguing."

“Are you surprised?” Ron asked as he turned to see well. "They are snakes, they can't stand their own venom among them."

"They shouldn't, Pansy and Draco are dating, and they’re supposed to get along."

“How do you know they are a couple?”

"The students don't just talk about us," she said simply with a shrug. Her roommates were pretty gossipy.

* * *

Draco went directly to Severus' private rooms, knocked on the door without much thought, but got no answer.

He played again, a little louder and more insistent this time, nothing.

The third time, he played louder, if Snape was in his private rooms he should listen to him yes or yes.

But apparently it wasn't there.

He had left the potions room and the teacher's office, and he decided to go to the last one rather than to the classroom. If the option that he was making a potion was true, he could find it there. This time he decided not to knock on the door and enter the office directly. There was another door at the back, behind the potionist's desk, that led to a room that the master used to prepare potions and that - and this Draco didn't know - was the same one he used to train Harry.

He approached the door ready to open it, but it opened and Snape appeared looking at him sternly.

"Is it possible to know what do you need, Mr. Malfoy?"

Well, Draco know now that Snape hasn´t been fired. Anyway it could mean that if he was helping Harry on orders from the director. And he couldn't rule out that if Harry had something wrong, he wouldn't tell the dark lord. But before thinking about anything else, he had to get out of the situation he was in. He smiled before answering Snape, a Malfoy always has a backup plan.

* * *

When the night came and he went back to the Great Hall with his friends for dinner, the same thing happened as in the other meals, he really didn't eat anything. It was more to accompany them, because between his problem and his anxiety that soon he would have to go with Snape, it would be almost impossible for him to pass food through his throat.

His friends were talking about their Defense Against the Dark Arts studies, they had skipped Thursday, so Hermione was talking about doubling the number of spells they would study on Saturday. He joined the conversation to try to clear his mind, and after dinner they stayed in their common room talking about how the preparations for the costume party were going. When the indicated time came, he got up anxiously and walked straight to the dungeons.


	9. Unexpected kiss

Chapter 9

Harry was nervous, he was really nervous.

He was a mess.

All along the way he had tried to muster up as much courage as possible, but now, standing in front of the door to his potions master's private rooms, he was feeling scared.

Not even in all the times he had been with Snape alone training had he felt so anxious, it was logical, this was a very different situation, something that had been imagined. He knocked after gathering all his bravery — not even facing Voldemort he was afraid as he was then — and he didn't wait even two seconds before Snape opened the door.

Severus looked him up and down, the boy was ten minutes late, and he was tempted to make a comment about his customary tardiness, but he paused as he analyzed that the boy would be nervous enough to say something more embarrassing to him.

"Go ahead, Potter."

He had never entered Snape's private rooms, it was more different than he had imagined. The place was warm and cozy. And he thought any room in the dungeon area would be cold and creepy.

"We will do the ritual in the room," Snape said, breaking the silence. He did not notice that he had said nothing since he entered, nor if he had been apologized for being clearly late.

_Room..._

Harry nodded, feeling unimaginably nervous. Ron's phrase returned to his head _"you would get sex before a kiss."_ He liked Snape, but the problem was that he was getting something he wanted, but not in the way he wanted.

Severus motioned to the door of the room and Harry entered. It was the same as the previous room, cozy and quiet, but the central bed with dark sheets overwhelmed him. He saw Snape enter with a flask and a dagger in his hands.

"This is the potion."

He handed it to Harry and he downed it in one gulp.

"Ugh," he said, making a disgusted face, "The potion smells like shit."

"At least you can't feel it in your mouth," Snape said, remembering that he had had to drink it himself before bringing it to Harry and knew how unpleasant it was.

Although perhaps his comment was not the most accurate due to Harry's situation, and he regretted doing so.

"Step one, the potion." Snape mentioned. “Step two...”

"The blood," he interrupted, remembering what Hermione had been able to tell him.

"Get in bed," he said.

Harry lay down on the bed and the lights went out. In the dark and deftly, Severus took Harry's hand and with the dagger made a cut in both palms and then joined them.

With his free hand, Severus took his wand and recited the first part of the spell. It was long, and Harry admired his ability to say it by heart. He knew that he must remain still and in complete silence so as not to cause the elder to lose concentration. As he waited, his sight adjusted to the darkness, and he could make out the features of his master's face. Being so close to him, so eager to kiss him...

He felt the scent of the other.

 _This man always smells good._ He thought as the other settled into bed. Even with all his nerves, he thought he could take advantage of the situation. He had the determination from before, it was agreed that he would be more direct with Snape, would it be a sin to try?

When he finished, Snape quietly told him to lie down, without looking at him, he could tell that Harry had tensed up even more just saying that, so when he also lay down he placed his hand on the minor's shoulder.

Harry flinched slightly under that touch. Snape would take the first step? He placed a hand on his teacher's chest, feeling that touch long awaited for him, holding him so close.

"Try to relax," hearing Severus's deep voice so close wouldn't let him relax at all, quite the contrary, "this ritual is simple."

“Simple?” he didn't know how to feel about the fact that Severus was referring to having sex as something simple.

"I guess that's a way to say it ... you know, with that involving sex...”

Snape looked at him closely, and cleared his throat feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"We´ll only sleep together."

Had he misheard? For Merlin he hoped so.

“Is it just sleeping holding each other?” The shame he was feeling was indescribable. There were too many ideas in his head, and now he looked bad in front of Snape.

“The _Minuere_ was created by a great magician to help his wife, she was very ill and…” he seemed not to want to continue for the well-being of his student who was already more than ashamed “let's say she was too sick for something else than just sleeping holding each other."

“Oh," was the only thing he could emit. He withdrew his hand from Snape's chest as if burning, at least the darkness would prevent the other from seeing his blushing increasing.

"I thought Dumbledore had explained to you," Snape apologized, he should have asked him from the start if he knew everything about the spell, "you seemed to know the steps."

"No," he said, trying to make his voice sound normal, "Hermione had read something about this, but not much, so we thought...”

He didn´t continue, he did not have to mention what they had thought, he had made it very clear. Could he die at that moment? All his confidence went to hell, that desire to take advantage of the situation no longer caught his attention.

At least Severus made no attempt to add to his embarrassment with another comment. He felt Severus kiss his head. Was that part of the spell? Surely yes, and he wouldn't ask since he no longer wanted to look stupid. Then he felt himself wrapped in a firm hug by those strong arms and Severus recited again some words that he could not fully understand.

He did not know when he fell asleep.

And he did not feel when Severus delicately removed the glasses so that they did not disturb him when sleeping. At some point throughout the day, he was afraid of having a nightmare and teasing Snape in the middle of the night. But he had none. His sleep was peaceful, as he had not slept for a long time. No Voldemort, no deaths, no feeling of fear or terror of losing a loved one

He woke up early, or rather, they woke him up early. He felt someone remove his shoulder and call him, but he did not want to listen to him, it had been too long since he slept so well, it was unfair that they took his peace from him so quickly.

"Potter," Snape's voice recognized even in the haze of sleep.

Severus was having trouble waking him up, he was even sorry. The boy looked so calm and relaxed that he wished he could have seen him sleep a little longer. Even he felt exhausted himself, a normal thing after having performed the spell.

But he needed to wake up to give the director a report, and Potter needed to wake up to check if the _Minuere_ had worked. When he saw that the boy seemed to open his eyes and tried to focus on him, he cleared his throat and spoke:

"Take off your shirt," he said.

Harry's dream was suddenly gone at that phrase. He saw Severus quite close to him, although somewhat blurred. At what point had you removed your glasses?

“What?” He asked, not knowing if he had heard correctly.

"I need to check the symbol on your chest."

"Ah, the symbol," he repeated. Sometimes he felt so stupid around the man, what if he wasn't?

He obeyed and Severus see the symbol. He placed his hand on top of it and felt the characteristic slight tickle. Harry swallowed under that touch.

"I create a connection," explained the major, "we can only see how well it works.

Harry got up and adjusted his wrinkled clothes a little while he slept. Severus made a mental note that by the next time, he would get his pajamas.

Although Harry loved being with his teacher, the shame that had happened at night still ate at him, and he had the urgent need to retreat where the other could not see him, so without another word he went to the small room to go straight to the door.

But before leaving, he thought he should apologize for what had happened.

"Before leaving, sorry for the confusion last night," he said, genuinely embarrassed, but hoping that the other would not take it wrong.

"I suppose you can tell your friends that your hated teacher did not harm your virtue." Severus was a few steps from him, he tried to sound sarcastic, although to his ears he sounded slightly sore, "That way Mr. Weasly won't be angry or jealous."

Harry stopped before opening the door.

 _Did Snape also believe in those gossip crap?_ He thought with disappointment.

"I never thought you were one of those who listens to the nonsense that students say in the hallways."

Snape quickly understood. Was he saying he wasn't with the Weasly?

“Then no…”

"I wouldn't meddle with my friends, Ron isn't my type anyway."

“And his type is?” He couldn't help it, those words had come out of his mouth without even thinking about it. For what? Or why did he want to know that?

It was none of his business and yet curiosity won him over.

"More snake," Harry said, and left him alone leaving the room after slamming the door.

* * *

_More snake._

What the fuck did that mean? Severus sometimes thought Harry wanted to drive him crazy, it must be that. Why couldn't he believe again that these were hints to him, could he? No, definitely not. He was mistaking his friendship with the boy for deliberate flirting, and his mind was playing a bad joke on her.

As soon as Harry left, he got ready and went to Dumbledore's office, who must have been waiting for him already. He was not mistaken when he saw Albus with an expectant gaze.

“Did it work as we expected?” Dumbledore asked with his arms crossed. On the desk were cups of tea that had not been touched in expectation of good news.

“So it seems. I felt the sign of the union," he said remembering when he had placed his hand on the mark of Harry's chest, feeling the connection, "but you know that we only had to wait and see how it evolves."

Dumbledore nodded, the downside of the _Minuere_ is that there really was no way of knowing how it was working other than to see how far evolution was slowing down. But he was confident that it had turned out well, Severus was a very capable wizard.

"He lost the first sense in less than three days after the spell," he analyzed, recalling the events of the attack on Sunday, "we just have to wait and see how long we managed to delay until the second sense."

Severus drank from his tea, and as he put the cup back in its place, he remembered something important.

“What happened to the clue Remus mentioned?”

"Sirius is preparing to leave in the afternoon." Albus said taking a lemon candy, the news that apparently the _Minuere_ could be working well and that they had no setbacks when launching it was giving him a good mood "Apparently is someone who knew who suffered from this terrible curse” “Will you leave that dog such an important job?” Severus frowned, not thinking that Black was the best person to do such work. He didn't really consider Black fit for any job.

  
"Come on Severus," the headmaster smiled, somewhat amused that at no time did those two lose their rivalry, "you know that if it's Harry, Sirius will take it seriously." He paused to drink from his forgotten tea, as sweet as ever. “Besides, in two days it's a full moon,” he recalled. “Remus won't be able to go. It's just a hint to get to the whereabouts Remus remembers had this same curse, so I'm sure he'll do just fine.”

That still did not convince the potions master, but it could not be otherwise. He was lost in thought until the director spoke to him again.

“How did Harry take the ritual?"

“I thought you or the wolf would tell him what would happen," his expression was clearly accusatory, he did not understand how they could overlook something so important, "he had the incredible idea that the ritual involved a sexual act.”

Albus's eyes widened, even the corner of his lips seemed to curl up.

"Oh, I imagine you...”

“What you take me for, Albus?” He interrupted the director with a raised eyebrow, was he implying that he would take advantage of Potter's ignorance? “You know I would never abuse a student.”

The headmaster's expression was somewhat indecipherable to the potions master, from those expressions he put on when he knew something the others did not.

 _What is this old nosy hiding now?_ Severus thought, hoping this time it wasn't something that involved him.

“Well, considering that this student wouldn't see it as abuse… “

“What are you talking about?”

“Think about it yourself, perhaps I have realized it from my years of experience, but you have not done it because of your stubbornness.” Severus detested when he didn't tell him things directly. Was it so hard not to speak indirectly?

"Albus, you're hallucinating."

The director took a sip of his tea again, without commenting further. He had realized Harry's feelings for the potions master. He was quite insightful, and perhaps Severus did not notice it because the attentions were towards him, and well he had heard once that everyone could realize something, except the affected one.

He was not concerned about that, although it would be a relationship between a teacher and a student, it had to be accepted that Harry had never been a normal student. The boy had been through so much that who could object if he found someone he wanted? And he was even glad it was Severus. The potion master might be difficult to deal with but he knew very well that he was an excellent person, with a big heart willing to sacrifice himself for the people he loved.

He just hoped it didn't take long to figure it out.

* * *

It was quite early, but still many were already heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. He was not surprised when entering the common room, Harry found Hermione and Ron, still in their pajamas, waiting for him.

His friends seemed to have been concerned to see him arrive, and sighed in relief when they saw him cross the portrait. They were curious about what had happened, but they had to wait. In the common room, he couldn't speak because of the number of students there were, and Longbottom and Seamus were still in Harry and Ron's room. They decided to change and go down to the Great Hall and find a secluded spot, but there they were approached by Ginny asking Hermione for help on a task and by Dean. Since Harry and Ron had different hours than Hermione in the first classes of that day, they had to wait until lunchtime, and this time they went to the library so they would not be interrupted again. Ron complained about not being able to eat but even he was sick of them meddling. Plus all three had potions in the afternoon, and somehow they wanted to know what had happened before they saw Snape.

“What happened?” Hermione asked as soon as they sat down at the table.

"But keep the details to yourself," Ron said, not wanting to hear certain things.

"Nothing happened."

“What do you mean nothing?”

"Nothing you're thinking about," he explained, gesturing with one hand. "The spell didn't have ... that. It was just sleeping holding each other.”

"Oh," his two friends exclaimed in unison. Even they were surprised.

"I spent the greatest embarrassment of my life," he rested his head on the table, remembering the moment when he looked like a moron, "but he took it ... well. He didn't make fun of me or anything, and it was obvious that he had realized what I was thinking.”

“What if he likes you?" The girl asked, "maybe that's why he didn't scoff.”

"I don't want to break your bubble," Ron said, not wanting to hurt his friend, "but he had it in his bed and tried nothing, even after seeing that Harry would be willing to do that. Maybe he really doesn't like Harry.”

"Maybe he noticed that Harry really didn't know and didn't want to take advantage of it," she said with a shrug, she really wanted to believe that his friend had a chance. Anyway, she decided to change the subject to something more important “how do you feel? It worked?”

“I guess so. Snape told me that unfortunately it doesn't create a setback, so I won't be able to feel the flavors again until they find a cure,” his expression inevitably became grim, knowing that it would be like this until they found the counter spell would not be easy to bear “but At least I won't lose anything else, for now.”

Ron looked up for a second, and grimaced as he saw who was approaching them.

"Malfoy" He said in a low tone, catching the attention of Harry and Hermione.

Draco finished approaching the table where the Gryffindors were, and looked directly at his main objective.

“What do you want Malfoy?” Ron was still angry about the points he had lost due to the ferret, and he thought that he was surely there to annoy them again, the strange thing is that this time he came alone, without his bodyguards.

"I want to talk to you, Potter" he said, and when the other two didn't move, he added, "alone."

"Don't even dream about it, Malfoy." Ron wouldn't leave Harry alone with Draco to get him into trouble. Even Hermione didn't like that idea, and she supported her boyfriend by not leaving his friend alone with the blonde.

Harry looked at him for a second, the blonde had a look he had never seen before and it was strange.

“For what?” He asked, he couldn't deny that he was curious.

"I can't tell you here," he said with a pout, as if it was logical that in front of Granger and Weasly he wouldn't speak.

“Or can't you cast a spell here?” Ron asked, clearly believing this was a way to do something to Harry, and due to the curse his friend had, he and Hermione were taking care of him even more.

Harry was attentive to Draco, it showed that the blonde was making a great effort not to explode due to Ron's accusations, and that in itself was something strange. Malfoy had never contained anything, so it seemed that whatever he had to say was important. With a sigh of resignation, he rose from his chair under the watchful eyes of the other three.

"Okay Draco, let's go talk somewhere else."

"Harry!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed in unison. That didn't seem like a wise idea at all.

"I'll be fine," he tried to reassure them while smiling, "don't worry."

When he moved to Draco's side, Malfoy motioned for him to follow him out of the library, and then, in complete silence, they walked through some hallways. Harry began to wonder if it really was a trick to play some prank on him when he noticed how lonely the hallways were, but said nothing and entered the disused classroom Draco pointed out to him.

When Draco closed the door behind him, Harry finally spoke.

“Now tell me what do you want, Malfoy.”

Draco had decided to be direct, so he crossed his arms and asked: “What are you sick of?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” His eyes narrowed. Did Draco knows…?

"You are sick, I know." The blonde affirmed in a firm voice, but then softened the gesture a bit before adding: “I want to help you.”

“You've gone mad?” He was now feeling regretful that he had agreed to speak to him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I followed you the day before yesterday." He confessed, placing a lock of hair behind his ear in a nervous gesture “I know you have something bad, I don't know what it is, but I'm sure it's something serious.”

Harry froze, no one was supposed to know. Anger began to build in him as he began to see the blonde in front of him as a true enemy.

“What stops me from casting a spell on you now?” He asked with clenched fists.

“I'm worried about you.” Malfoy's signature pride seemed to have vanished, but as furious as he was, Harry couldn't tell. Draco took a step towards the Gryffindor, but that made it all worse.

“Is that the Dark Lord's new tactic?” He exploded trying to get away from the blonde. "Tired of attacking me and now you tell your lackeys to try to be my friends?"

“Of course not!” He raised the sleeve of his left arm, exposing him. "I am not a Death Eater!"

"Not yet," he snapped furiously, "but obviously you will be. Was Voldemort the one who told you to check if his curse was already working?”

It hit the Slytherin like a bucket of ice water.

"So you have something ...”

“Are you surprised?” Harry could only believe that Draco was making fun of him. What else if he wasn't?

“Can you shut up and listen to me?!” He shouted, luckily they couldn't hear them from where they were.

Draco was getting desperate, he had never had too much patience, least of all to put up with Potter yelling at him without letting him explain himself.

"Go and tell the damn Voldemort that he did it, isn't that what you wanted from a ...?"

How to make Potter stop talking? Easy, kissing him.

Draco had gone ahead and without the other waiting for him, he joined his lips in a kiss he had wanted for a long time. For a moment, Harry's bewilderment at that action wouldn't let him move, but then he clenched his fist and punched Draco in the face.

He left the room leaving Draco with a red cheek.


End file.
